14/10/2016 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 13 October, the Council of the EU definitively adopted new European rules on legal aid for individuals suspected or accused of crimes and held in custody and for individuals who are the subject of a European arrest warrant (see EUROPE 11638). The directive provides for minimum standards for access to legal aid at all stages of the procedure, but under conditions. The means of the individual in question will be assessed to see whether he or she is eligible to the aid and member states will be able to carry out means and merit tests. The merit test will determine whether it is in the interests of the legal system of the country in question to provide this aid in individual cases, the Council explains. The member states have 30 months to transpose the directive. The United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark are not participating. The European Parliament approved the inter-institutional agreement in early October (see EUROPE 11589). (SP)