BAR COUNCIL AND CRIMINAL BAR ASSOCIATION
LEAD ON EU FACTSHEET ON DEFENDANTS’ RIGHTS
The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) have played a leading role in the development of a factsheet which outlines the rights of defendants in the English and Welsh justice system.
The factsheet is part of an initiative of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) to produce national factsheets explaining the rights of defendants across the 27 Member States of the EU. The factsheets list in a simple but comprehensive way the rights available to defendants in criminal proceedings in each of the EU Member States, and are available in each of the EU’s languages.
The factsheets are available on the European e-Justice portal and will be updated on an annual basis for three years to ensure that they remain accurate and reflect any changes in the law.
Vice-Chairman of the Bar, Maura McGowan QC, said:
“The CCBE’s factsheets on defendants’ rights are an extremely useful tool which will ensure that any EU resident detained in a non-domestic EU Member State has quick and easy access to information about their rights. The Bar’s pro bono work to ensure that information about the justice system in England and Wales is available to residents of other Member States is testament to the profession’s commitment to facilitating universal access to justice, and British citizens are sure to benefit from the factsheets provided by other EU Member States.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The factsheets are available online at the European e-Justice portal:
https://e-justice.europa.eu/content_rights_of_defendants_in_criminal_proceedings_-169-en.do.
- For further information please contact the Bar Council Press Office on 020 7222 2525.
- The Bar Council represents barristers in England and Wales. It promotes:
- The Bar’s high quality specialist advocacy and advisory services
- Fair access to justice for all
- The highest standards of ethics, equality and diversity across the profession, and
- The development of business opportunities for barristers at home and abroad.
The General Council of the Bar is the Approved Regulator of the Bar of England and Wales. It discharges its regulatory functions through the independent Bar Standards Board.
- The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) exists to represent the views of the practising members of the criminal Bar in England and Wales.
- The European Commission’s e-Justice portal aims at facilitating access to justice by citizens and businesses across Europe. It is also aimed at reinforcing judicial co-operation, on the basis of existing legal instruments, and at bringing e-Justice closer to the legal profession and all interested parties.
The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) is the representative organisation of around one million European lawyers through its member bars and law societies from 31 full member countries, and 11 further associate and observer countries