70,000 for Euro crime project

The European Commission has granted the Law Society 70,000 to run a research project on the ways countries will implement the controversial Euro arrest warrant and how a Euro bail system could be implemented alongside this.

The project is being run in conjunction with the Spanish and Czech Republic Bars, and will culminate in an autumn conference in London attended by representatives of all 25 EU members and applicants.

The Extradition Bill currently before Parliament legislates for the introduction of the Euro arrest warrant.

Under this, an arrest warrant issued in one EU country can, provided it is approved by a judge, be quickly enforced in another country.

The warrant is scheduled to come into effect across Europe on 1 January 2004, and a system of bail is to be put in place alongside it.

Alison Hook, the Law Society's international director, said: 'We are delighted to have received funding from the EU for this project.

It is a matter of great concern to lawyers and human rights organisations across Europe that there are no agreements on safeguards at a European level, other than through appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

'The commission is looking for input into the formulation of effective measures that safeguard the rights of suspects and obviously bail is a key issue.

We hope this project will be a timely means of engaging with the debate.'

Human rights groups have complained that the procedures to extradite someone under the warrant are not rigorous enough, while shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin has said that British people could be extradited for deeds that are not crimes in the UK.

The commission is set to expand its work on criminal law this year, with sentencing policy, seizure of assets and common standards in procedural safeguards also on its agenda.

Neil Rose