Course description

The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) is the seminal instrument in the field of EU judicial cooperation in criminal matters. It is widely used and has proved to be an efficient tool in accelerating the execution of warrants and surrender procedures in cross-border criminal cases within the EU. At the same time, the EAW still poses a number of issues – mostly related to fundamental rights protection – that Member States find difficult to accommodate in their respective legal systems and especially towards their obligation to respect fundamental rights. It is in this context that the course will map out the operational success of the EAW and discuss the fundamental rights concerns, in particular regarding detention conditions and fair trials rights, pertinent to the application of the EAW.

To objective of the course is to make legal practitioners aware of the current challenges that not only affect the daily administration of surrender procedures, but erode the basic premise of cooperation based on mutual trust and mutual recognition. Participants will understand:

• what steps to take if concerns over detention conditions arise in the course of administering an EAW;
• how to deal with an issuing authority if its judicial nature is in doubt or its independence is questionable;
• how to accommodate EAWs with a view to requests from third countries, parallel and previous procedures.

The course is especially interesting for legal practitioners working in the field of criminal law, dealing with cross-border criminal cases, but is also of relevance to those having a particular interest in the EU Area of Freedom Security and Justice, based on the principles of mutual recognition and mutual trust.

The course is based on short presentations complemented with practice-oriented discussions led by experts who have an in-depth understanding of the EAW. Departing from the very rich case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, the course will focus on practical issues arising in the daily administration of the EAW.

What will you learn:

Participants will acquire a sound understanding of:

• the latest issues in relation to the issuing and CJEU, and why detention conditions are decisive to the sound execution of an EAW;
• what is the room for manoeuvre to refuse the execution of an EAW in case of systemic deficiencies in the issuing EU MS;
• how the intra-EU EAW system affects extradition requests from non-EU states.

Participants will have a nuanced understanding of the practical application of the EAW, fundamental rights issues directly affecting the execution of an EAW, and the recent case law of the CJEU related to the EAW. After attending the course, participants will have a clear understanding of the complex environment that surrounds the application of the EAW today.

How will it help you?

The course provides:

• first-hand information about the practical application of the EAW;
• a detailed picture about the fundamental rights issues that surround the issuing and execution of the EAWs;
• an overview of the growing case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union related to the EAW.

The course will materially contribute to the understanding on how the EAW operates, and raise awareness about the fundamental rights issues closely related to this instrument.

Participants will gain access to the EIPA learning management system and benefit from the learning paths to acquaint themselves with the key concepts relevant to the European Arrest Warrant. In this way, participants will benefit from guided learning before the course which will complement the face-to-face presentations and discussions offered throughout the course. Our experts will stay in touch with the participants through the course online forum after the course.

Target group

Who will benefit the most?

The course is targeted to legal professionals, judges, prosecutors, defence lawyers and all professionals working within the realms of criminal justice.

Practical information

Course venue
European Centre for Judges and Lawyers – EIPA Luxembourg
8 rue Nicolas Adames
1114 Luxembourg

Programme Organiser
Ms Christiane Lamesch
Tel: +352 426 230 302
c.lamesch@eipa.eu [2]

Fee
The fee includes documentation and refreshments. Lunches, a reception or dinner are included if mentioned in the programme. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.

EIPA member fee

EIPA offers a discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency.

Who are the supporting countries?
Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden.

For all other participants, the regular fee applies.

Early bird discount

The early bird discount is not cumulative with other discounts or promo codes, except for the EIPA member fee.

Meals
Special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic) can be indicated once you receive the confirmation of the seminar.