Extradition

Apparently "Proposals, to be agreed by Baroness Scotland QC, the Attorney-General, at a meeting of EU justice ministers next week, enshrine "procedural" guidelines setting out the circumstances for quick extradition of people convicted in their absence.

A draft text, seen by The Daily Telegraph, notes that existing rules do not "deal consistently with the issue of judgments rendered in absentia". "This diversity complicates the work of the practitioner and hampers judicial co-operation," it states.

Human rights and civil liberties campaigners fear the new EU rules breach a fundamental principle of British justice: that defendants must have their day in court to defend themselves.

Britain does not convict people or hold trials in their absence but many EU countries, including Belgium, France, Spain Greece and Italy, do so on a regular basis.

David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said: "This is another disturbing development from Brussels. Extradition of British nationals to face prison in European jails, based on trials in absentia, would undermine fundamental principles of British justice."

The Conservatives are concerned that Government ministers are giving too much away, including a planned hand-over of "a wide range of personal data" to other European states. "This is the latest Government failure to defend the British idea of fairness in Europe. Now there is a real risk that British citizens will be abandoned to face European punishments without trial," Mr Davis said."


This Labour government are all but totally spineless when it comes to negotiating with the EU; our ministers seem to just roll over and let the EU have their way with them.