05/11/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 5 November, the ministers and ministerial representatives of the EU27 gave the green light to the regulation on the transfer of criminal proceedings between Member States (see EUROPE 13366/8). This text aims to ensure that the best placed country investigates or prosecutes criminal offences in order to combat cross-border crime more effectively and avoid unnecessary parallel proceedings. Member States will have 60 days, extendable by 30 days, to respond to transfer requests, while protecting the fundamental rights of suspects, defendants and victims. The legislation also guarantees the right to an effective appeal against transfer decisions, with a 15-day deadline for lodging an objection. The regulation will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and will be directly applicable within two years of its adoption. (NP)