Brussels, 14/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 14 June, the European commissioner for justice and fundamental rights, Viviane Reding, attacked detention conditions in the EU and presented a Green Paper on how to strengthen mutual trust in the field of detention between the different legal authorities in member states. The Green Paper kicks off a public consultation that will run until 30 November and is based on 10 questions that the Commission would like to ask about how detention can influence mutual trust and therefore mutual recognition and judicial co-operation in general within the European Union.
Although detention conditions, such as the length of time spent in temporary detention and prison management, are within the remit of member states, the Commission considers that Europeans must have guarantees of being treated according to similar standards of protection wherever they are in the European Union. The Commission would like to ensure that fundamental rights are effectively respected during implementation of EU mutual recognition instruments, such as the European Arrest Warrant.
A spokesperson for Commissioner Reding said that detention conditions and the time spent in detention vary significantly between the 27 member states. The Green Paper wants to ensure that judges in a given country do not feel that the detention conditions are “less favourable” in neighbouring countries and less respectful of human rights standards. The spokesperson said that such a feeling could subsequently impede application of decisions relating to mutual recognition. (S.P./transl.fl)