EPPO’s Transformative Powers on Criminal Justice in the Member States: The Impact of International and European Law on Criminal Procedure

Gabriella Di Paolo

Abstract


The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) represents a highly symbolic achievement for the EU criminal justice sector. The article aims to collect some examples of instances where potential tensions between Regulation 2017/1939 and the intricate legal features of Member States arise. It also tries to suggest a possible categorization of EPPO’s transformative powers in the Member States’ criminal justice systems, especially within criminal procedure. Following the normal flow of criminal cases, the examples given concern the “model” of criminal investigations, several investigative measures affecting fundamental rights, the types of prosecutorial decisions (in particular, the dismissal of the case and simplified procedures), trial and appellate remedies.


Keywords


European Public Prosecutor’s Office; criminal justice sector; regulation; national law; European Union

Full Text:

PDF

References


LITERATURE

Belfiore R., L’articolazione funzionale e territoriale della Procura europea in Italia, [in:] L’attuazione della Procura europea. I nuovi assetti dello spazio europeo di libertà, sicurezza e giustizia, eds. G. Di Paolo, L. Pressacco, T. Rafaraci, R. Belfiore, Trento 2022.

Belfiore R., L’esercizio dell’azione penale da parte dell’EPPO tra legalità e margini di discrezionalità, “Cassazione penale” 2022, vol. 62(10).

Brodowski D., Article 39, [in:] H.-H. Herrnfeld, D. Brodowski, C. Burchard, European Public Prosecutor’s Office: EPPO Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 Implementing Enhanced Cooperation on the Establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Article-by-Article Commentary, Baden-Baden 2021.

Caianiello M., The Decision to Drop the Case: Res Iudicata or Transfer of Competence, [in:] The European Public Prosecutor’s Office: The Challenges Ahead, ed. L. Bachmaier Winter, Cham 2018, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93916-2_6.

De Matteis L., The EPPO’s Legislative Frameworks: Navigating through EU Law, National Law and Soft Law, “New Journal of European Criminal Law” 2023, vol. 14(1), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/20322844231158317.

Elholm T., EPPO and a Common Sense of Justice, “Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law” 2021, vol. 28(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1023263X211005970.

Gialuz M., Luparia L., Scarpa F. (eds.), The Italian Code of Criminal Procedure: Critical Essays and English Translation, Padova 2017.

Luparia L., Della Torre J., Profili dell’azione penale (e dell’inazione) nel sistema della Procura Europea, “Rivista Italiana di Diritto e Procedura Penale” 2023, no. 2.

Panzavolta M., Responsabilità e concetti: il regime normativo e la scelta della giurisdizione nelle indagini EPPO in cerca di orientamento, [in:] L’attuazione della Procura europea. I nuovi assetti dello spazio europeo di libertà, sicurezza e giustizia, eds. G. Di Paolo, L. Pressacco, T. Rafaraci, R. Belfiore, Trento 2022.

Peristeridou C., Klip A. (eds.), Comparative Perspective of Criminal Procedure, Cambridge 2024.

Rafaraci T., Brief Notes on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office: Ideas, Project and Fulfilment, [in:] EU Criminal Justice: Fundamental Rights, Transnational Proceedings and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, eds. T. Rafaraci, R. Belfiore, Cham 2019, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97319-7.

Reichel P.J., Comparative Criminal Justice Systems: A Topical Approach, New York 2021.

Wade M.L., The European Public Prosecutor: Controversy Expressed in Structural Form, [in:] EU Criminal Justice: Fundamental Rights, Transnational Proceedings and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, eds. T. Rafaraci, R. Belfiore, Cham 2019, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97319-7_12.

ONLINE SOURCES

European Commission, Compliance Assessment of Measures Adopted by the Member States to Adapt Their Systems to Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 Implementing Enhanced Cooperation on the Establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (“EPPO”), September 2023, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/events/details/study-presentation-compatibility-of-nati/20240118EOT08142 (access: 10.11.2024).

European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Decision of the College of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office of 21 April 2021 Adopting Operational Guidelines on Investigation, Evocation Policy and Referral of Cases as Amended by Decision 007/2022 of 7 February 2022 of the College of the EPPO, https://www.eppo.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-02/EPPO_Operational_Guidelines_College_Decision_029.2021_as%20amended_by_College%20decision_007.2022.pdf (access: 10.11.2024).

European Public Prosecutor’s Office, Investigation into Acquisition of COVID-19 Vaccines: Clarifications, 17.5.2024, https://www.eppo.europa.eu/en/media/news/investigation-acquisition-covid-19-vaccines-clarifications (access: 10.11.2024).

Franssen N., The Judgment in G.K. e.a. (parquet européen) brought the EPPO a pre-Christmas Tiding of Comfort and Joy but Will That Feeling Last?, 15.1.2024, https://www.europeanlawblog.eu/pub/the-judgment-in-g-k-e-a-parquet-europeen-brought-the-eppo-a-pre-christmas-tiding-of-comfort-and-joy-but-will-that-feeling-last/release/1 (access: 10.11.2024).

Wahl T., Ruling on the Exercise of Judicial Review in EPPO’s Cross-Border Investigations, 27.2.2024, https://eucrim.eu/news/ecj-ruling-on-the-exercise-of-judicial-review-in-eppos-cross-border-investigations (access: 11.10.2024).

LEGAL ACTS

Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (“EPPO”) (OJ L 283/1, 31.10.2017).

Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2017 on the fight against fraud to the Union’s financial interests by means of criminal law (OJ L 198/29, 28.7.2017).

CASE LAW

Judgment of the Court (Grand Chamber) of 21 December 2023 in case C-281/22, G.K. and Others, ECLI:EU:C:2023:1018.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/sil.2024.33.5.31-44
Date of publication: 2024-12-31 10:51:37
Date of submission: 2024-07-12 11:28:56


Statistics


Total abstract view - 22
Downloads (from 2020-06-17) - PDF - 0

Indicators



Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Gabriella Di Paolo

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.