Law & Justice

EU Official Pushes Police, Judicial Tools for Security Union

April 28, 2016

In a recent speech, the European Commissioner for justice, Věra Jourová, has called for the centralization of numerous law enforcement and judicial tools, including through implementation of the European Arrest Warrant and the establishment of a European Public Prosecutor's Office, to move toward the formation of an EU Security Union.
CoE Publishes Action Plan on Judicial Independence

April 27, 2016

The Council of Europe ("CoE") has published a Plan of Action on Strengthening Judicial Independence and Impartiality, which calls on CoE member states to implement reforms where needed to ensure the independence of the judiciary and offers CoE support in pursuing these reforms.
UK Secretary Acknowledges EU Obstacles to Border Control

April 26, 2016

As proponents of Britain's departure from the EU spotlight how the bloc's rules on free movement reduce the UK's ability to prevent criminal and terror suspects from entering the country, UK Home Secretary Theresa May argues that these rules have made it "harder," but not impossible, to control immigration.
UK Security Officials Warn of "Porous" Borders

April 22, 2016

The Telegraph reports that a group of former UK security and law enforcement officials has warned that, regardless of the outcome of the country's referendum on the EU, Britain must implement better border security practices in order to prevent the entry of Muslim extremists from other EU members.
MEP's Amendments Tighten EU Gun Control Legislation

April 21, 2016

Member of the European Parliament ("MEP") Vicky Ford has offered 86 amendments to a European Commission proposal to revise the EU firearms directive, calling for stricter legislation that would make it more difficult to obtain a firearm for "historical purposes," provide for secure weapons storage, and increase firearms information-sharing among EU member states.
EU Parliament Calls on Poland to End Court Standoff

April 13, 2016

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution that calls on the Polish government to end a standoff with the country's Constitutional Tribunal by accepting the court's decision striking down changes to the judiciary and pushes the European Commission to step up the use of its "rule of law mechanism" to investigate the government if it does not comply.
EU Publishes 2016 "Scoreboard" on National Justice Systems

April 13, 2016

In its 2016 EU Justice Scoreboard, which contains comparative data to assist EU national governments in improving their justice systems, the European Commission applauds progress among EU countries in reducing civil case delays and improving access to justice but calls for more judicial training and harmonization of national standards on justice.
EU Considers Mobile Operator Merger over UK Objection

April 12, 2016

Bloomberg reports that, having lost review of a proposed merger between two telecommunications companies to the European Commission, the UK Competition and Markets Authority is now registering with the Commission its objections to the deal before the supranational regulator makes its decision whether the merger can proceed.
UK Group Criticizes ECJ Veto over Tax Policies

April 11, 2016

A report from British euroskeptic campaign Vote Leave indicates that the Court of Justice of the EU's ("ECJ") use of jurisdiction over national tax policies, which it says forces governments to return taxes that violate EU law to large corporations, has prompted the UK Government to set aside billions of pounds for potential business tax settlements.
ECJ Mandates Rights-based Limits on Execution of Warrants

April 07, 2016

The Court of Justice of the EU ("ECJ") has held that national authorities in the EU must examine whether a suspected or convicted criminal who is the subject of a European arrest warrant ("EAW") might be subject to fundamental rights violations in the country that issued the EAW before these authorities return the subject to the warrant-issuing country.