Brussels, 11/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - A number of member states are seeking to hinder the smooth implementation of the European arrest warrant, which allows an appreciable reduction in the length of procedures for transferring wanted persons, denounced European Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini on Wednesday. “I am concerned that a number of member states are trying … step by step …to reintroduce measures of control requested by another member state - which should not happen. This is simply not acceptable because otherwise there would be problems of mutual trust”, the commissioner told journalists after the second assessment report had come out on the state of progress made in transposing this instrument, which is often stated as being the emblem of successful cooperation between member states in the field of criminal justice. The Commission has drawn up a list of countries that must make an effort to comply with the legislation among the 27 member states that have already adopted the framework decision. Countries needing to make an effort are the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Poland the United Kingdom. The main difficulty lies in the various levels of transposition of the framework decision concerning procedural compliance. For example, Poland is still reticent about handing over its nationals and has reintroduced the condition of double incrimination. Other states have added motives for refusal not foreseen in the framework decision, in total contradiction with its provisions. In most countries, one of the main advances achieved by the European arrest warrant has been the considerable reduction in the length of surrender procedures compared with extradition. On average, where the person does consent to his or her surrender, the average surrender period is 11 days, whereas under the old extradition arrangements such requests could take over a year to process. Data forwarded by member states confirmed that the practice of the European arrest warrant has now become generalised, attesting to the effectiveness of the procedure. Over the whole of 2006, nearly 5,832 warrants were issued by the 14 member states that communicated data, and 1,456 persons were surrendered, including 51% of such persons with their consent. Delays are also good as, on average, where the person concerned does not consent to his or her surrender, a surrender request takes less than six weeks to process. (bc)