Type: Acts of the European Union: European Parliament Recommendation on development of an EU criminal justice area

Authority: European Authorities - European Union: European Parliament

Date: 05/07/2009

Subject: The European Parliament underlined that it is necessary to complete the implementation of the principle of mutual recognition that has to be accompanied by a uniform set of procedural guarantees and safeguards, based on the principle of presumption of innocence, such as the right to a "Letter of Rights", the right to legal advice, the right to free legal advice when necessary, both before and during the trial, the right to adduce evidence, the right to be informed in a language understandable by the suspect/defendant of the nature of and/or the reasons for the charges and/or of the grounds for suspicion, the right of access to all relevant documents in a language which the suspect/defendant understands, the right to an interpreter, the right to a hearing and the right of defence, protection of suspects/defendants who cannot understand or follow the proceedings, minimum standards for detention, conditions and protection of juvenile suspects/defendants as well as effective and accessible mechanisms of redress for individuals. The European Parliament also asked the Council to adopt the following measures: a comprehensive legal framework offering victims of crime the widest protection, including adequate compensation and witness protection, notably in organised crime cases, a legal instrument on the admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings, measures to fix minimum standards for prison and detention conditions and a common set of prisoners' rights in the EU, including, among others, the right of communication and consular assistance.

Classification: Justice - Art. 47 Legal aid - Art. 48 Rights of defence

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Notices: The European Parliament called upon the Charter in the preamble