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EU agrees to sign extradition deal with the United States
Brussels, June 06: European Union justice ministers agreed today to sign an extradition and mutual assistance accord with the united states covering terrorism and organised crime, EU officials said.
Brussels, June 06: European Union justice ministers agreed today to sign an extradition and mutual assistance accord with the united states covering terrorism and organised crime, EU officials said.
The 15 justice ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, overcame long-standing legal objections by France and Portugal.
The deal is expected to be signed during a June 21 EU-US summit in Washington.
Under the deal, the United States will not impose the death penalty on suspects extradited from the EU.
France and Portugal had objected because of legal problems relating to the death penalty and exchanges of sensitive information on suspects.
The accord will supplement the existing 15 extradition treaties Washington has already signed with EU nations bilaterally and will enable the bloc to handle extradition requests through one simplified procedure.
The EU and the United States also brokered a provisional deal on trans-Atlantic judicial cooperation expanding an agreement on terrorism to include other organised crime investigations.
The deal will allow the creation of joint investigative teams- between police and judicial authorities from both sides of the Atlantic.
Bureau Report
The deal is expected to be signed during a June 21 EU-US summit in Washington.
Under the deal, the United States will not impose the death penalty on suspects extradited from the EU.
France and Portugal had objected because of legal problems relating to the death penalty and exchanges of sensitive information on suspects.
The accord will supplement the existing 15 extradition treaties Washington has already signed with EU nations bilaterally and will enable the bloc to handle extradition requests through one simplified procedure.
The EU and the United States also brokered a provisional deal on trans-Atlantic judicial cooperation expanding an agreement on terrorism to include other organised crime investigations.
The deal will allow the creation of joint investigative teams- between police and judicial authorities from both sides of the Atlantic.
Bureau Report