Luxembourg, 07/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 7 October, the Council of the EU decided to harmonise national rules on the granting of rights to translation and interpreting services for the accused in criminal proceedings. The draft directive has already been through its first reading at the European Parliament. It improves the rights of suspects and people involved in investigations who do not speak the language of the country where they are being investigated. They would be granted the right to an interpreter throughout the criminal investigation and proceedings, including in questioning by the police, meetings with lawyers and hearings before a judge or in court. They would also have the right to a written translation of all the documents felt to be essential for them to defend themselves in order to ensure a fair trial. Among these essential documents (which will be chosen on a case-by-case basis by the competent authorities) are decisions depriving the individual of their freedom, details of the accusation and all rulings. At their meeting in Luxembourg, the EU's justice and home affairs ministers also adopted a conclusions document in which they pledge to “step up work” to introduce instruments applying the principle of mutual recognition of judicial decisions in criminal cases. They also adopted a conclusions document on improving the safety of explosives and called on the member states to cooperate more with the private sector to crack down on the purchase, manufacturing and use of explosives by terrorists and criminals. (B.C./transl.fl)