Brussels, 11/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - A British football hooligan arrested in Portugal will have the right to an interpreter when interviewed by the police, the court and his lawyer if the European Parliament decides on 16 June to approve an EU law providing all Europeans with the right to translation and interpreting services for legal proceedings in another member state. A fortnight ago, MEPs reached agreement with the EU Council of Ministers on the introduction of common rules throughout the EU that would apply as soon as an individual is informed that they are suspected of having committed a crime and would apply until the end of the legal proceedings. Member states will have three years to transpose the directive into their legal systems and will have to bear the translation and interpreting costs irrespective of the outcome of the court case. The United Kingdom and Ireland will take part in this new measure, but Denmark is opting out. (B.C./transl.fl)