The European Commission launched its five-year action plan on freedom, justice and security last week, but lawyers' human rights group Justice warned that the proposals may not be translated into UK law.

The action plan, which follows the Hague Programme endorsed by the European Council in November, set out strategic objectives for EU action on terrorism, migration management, visa policies, asylum, privacy and security, organised crime and criminal justice.


Roger Smith, director of Justice, said: 'In theory this is a desirable thing - it makes no sense to adopt a "little Britain" strategy on these issues.'


But he added: 'While there is no problem with the principle, the issue will be in delivery. Firstly, how well can a union in which most countries have a civil law system work with the UK and Ireland, which have common law models?


'Secondly, how many of these strategies have simply been constructed as castles in the air, never to be delivered upon? We have already seen proposals pre-dating this on the minimum safeguards for defendants watered down, providing less protection than the European Convention on Human Rights.'


Mr Smith said: 'The real issue will be transposing all this into UK law.'


Law Society President Edward Nally said: 'A commitment to defence rights and access to justice should be demonstrated by minimum procedural guarantees for suspects and defendants. This proposal is long overdue and strong rhetoric is not enough.'