A transfer of criminal proceedings often follows a decision to concentrate parallel proceedings in a single Member State. However, this course of action can create legal and practical challenges for the national authorities involved, which may jeopardise the efficiency and effectiveness of the proceedings.

For example, a transfer may impose a significant financial and/or organisational burden on the receiving Member State, such as the difficulty and cost of translating case files. Furthermore, transferring investigations from one State to another can be extremely time-consuming; for instance, because of a lack of information about the follow-up given by the requested State, the results of a request for transfer of proceedings may remain uncertain for a considerable time.

Eurojust Report on the transfer of proceedings in the European Union

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How Eurojust assists with transfers of proceedings

Eurojust facilitates contacts and consultations among national authorities and advises on accessory measures for transfers of proceedings. For instance, by means of a coordination meeting, Eurojust can help the involved national authorities to agree on the best way to proceed and to draft requests for transfers of proceedings. Eurojust can enable national authorities to reach an agreement about the translation costs between the involved Member States. In other cases, costs may be included within the framework of a joint investigation team (JIT), and therefore covered within the JIT funding provided by Eurojust. Eurojust can also assist the receiving State in identifying the essential documents that need to be translated and (initially) transmitted electronically so investigations can proceed quickly and effectively.

The ne bis in idem principle is a fundamental principle mentioned in national, European and international legal instruments, including the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In general, the principle aims to ensure that individuals are not prosecuted for the same acts in separate Member States.

Despite the increasing number of decisions by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) with regard to the application of the ne bis in idem principle, a number of technical and practical issues exist that can impact the work of judicial authorities, not least the legal question of what constitutes the ‘same acts’. Other legal difficulties may arise, for instance, from the relationship between administrative and criminal sanctions, or from the differences among legal systems of the Member States concerning the question of what is to be considered as a ‘final decision’.

Case law by the Court of Justice of the European Union on the principle of ne bis in idem in criminal matters

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How Eurojust assists with ne bis in idem issues

In the situations described above, the involved authorities may be under pressure to find appropriate and practical solutions as quickly as possible. For example, when the proceedings in the different jurisdictions dealing with a case concerning the same facts and suspects occur at different speeds without coordination between them, the faster one may undermine the outcome of the other.

Eurojust helps national authorities to detect, and consequently avoid, potential ne bis in idem situations as quickly and efficiently as possible, for instance by assisting competent authorities in examining, including at an early stage, whether related facts that are under investigation in two or more Member States may constitute the ‘same acts’. Eurojust also helps to clarify the final character of decisions under national law, specifically with regard to the question of what constitutes a final decision under the respective national laws.

Eurojust has published a document, Case law by the Court of Justice of the European Union on the principle of ne bis in idem in criminal matters, to provide further information on the case law of the CJEU, and also offers guidance in the application of the principle in a transnational context.