Revised version of the Draft Resolution of the Council on a roadmap for strengthening procedural rights of suspected or accused persons in criminal proceedings

Please click here for the revised Roadmap.

The Stockholm Programme was adopted by the European Council in December 2009 and provides a framework for EU action on the questions of citizenship, justice, security, asylum and immigration for the next five years. As its predecessors (the Hague Programme and the Tampere Programme) it is a five-year work plan that sets out the strategic objectives for the further development of the European Union’s “area of freedom, security and justice” from 2010 to 2014.

In the Programme the European Council considers that the setting up of a comprehensive system for obtaining evidence in cases with a cross-border dimension, based on the principle of mutual recognition, should be further pursued. It describes the existing instruments in this area as constituting a fragmentary regime. “A new approach is needed, based on the principle of mutual recognition but also taking into account the flexibility of the traditional system of mutual legal assistance. This new model could have a broader scope and should cover as many types of evidence as possible, taking account of the measures concerned.”

Please click here to view the Stockholm Programme (PDF).

Letter from the Ministry of Justice Sweden to Hoger Matt.
Please click here for the letter.

Conference on Justice in the EU – from the Citizen’s Perspective
Stockholm, 22-23 July 2009

Please click here for the address by Judge Dean Spielmann
By clicking on the links you will find:
The Preliminary Programme
The Draft programme Workshop Procedural Rights for suspects an defendants in Criminal Proceeding in the European Union
The Invitation to Holger Matt to speak at the conference.

Communication  from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - An area of freedom, security and justice serving the citizen (52009DC0262 /* COM/2009/0262 final */)
Please click here to got to EC website and relevant documents.

The ECBA Condemns European Commission Failure to Safeguard Defendant’s Rights
Please click here for the ECBA press release.

Roadmap with a view to fostering protection of suspected and accused persons in criminal proceedings
presented by the Presidency to the Delegations -  Council of the European Union
Please click here for the Roadmap.

The ECBA has written a letter to the Vice President Mr Barrot to express its position in respect of the intended Commission proposal on procedural safeguards and the intended "road map" of the EU Council, promoted by the impending Swedish Presidency.
Please click here for the letter.

Mr Barrot replied to the ECBA on the 15th June 2009. Please click here for his response.