Extradition: New EU-US Treaty Signed on Mutual Legal Assistance

Update: Attorney General Holder Speaks at EU/US Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting for Signing of Agreement: Washington, D.C. ~ Wednesday, October 28, 2009 (excerpt)


" The extradition agreement will modernize the existing bilateral extradition treaties with each of the Member States, in many cases replacing lists of offenses that are deemed extraditable with a dual criminality standard.

The mutual legal assistance agreement contains cutting edge provisions for future legal cooperation. These include authority:

to identify the existence of bank accounts associated with the subjects in the other’s jurisdiction in terrorism and other serious crimes,
to conduct joint task forces across national lines directed against terrorism and serious crime cases rather than merely "coordinating’ inquiries;
to obtain assistance in administrative matters that may lead to criminal investigations in matters involving terrorism and serious crimes;
to acquire evidence, including testimony, by means of video conferencing,
to use data acquired via the agreement for additional serious offenses other than just the one triggering the initial request.
But beyond their important practical value, these treaties symbolize the joint resolve of Europe and the United States to fight terrorism and transnational crime."


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Previously posted:

The US and the European Union will sign a treaty on October 28, 2009, which will facilitate the extradition for serious crimes, prevent the imposition of the death penalty for extraditions to the US, and provide for information sharing. European Voice.