Brussels, 02/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - Two new agreements on extradition and mutual legal assistance between the European Union and the United States came into effect on 1 February. The two agreements, negotiated in the wake of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, will significantly enhance transatlantic cooperation in tackling international crime. They supplement the 56 bilateral agreements that already exist in these areas between the United States and EU member states. The agreement on mutual legal assistance contains important advances: - improved access to bank accounts in the United States; - banking secrecy will no longer be used as a reason for refusing assistance; - joint investigating teams will be able to operate in both the United States and in member states; - and new technologies (videoconferencing, faxing; emailing, etc) will be used to facilitate procedures. The extradition agreement simplifies the transmission and authentication of extradition and provisional arrest requests. Where there is no such provision in bilateral treaties, the agreement implements simplified procedures in cases where there is consent from the person sought. Guarantees are built in and allow for the extradition procedure to be discontinued if the person sought could be sentenced to death. (B.C./transl.rt)