Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Paragraph: 50
The new suspect surrender arrangements agreed between the UK and EU are similar to the...
Conclusion
The new suspect surrender arrangements agreed between the UK and EU are similar to the EU Surrender Agreement with Norway and Iceland and include many of the features of the European Arrest Warrant. Importantly for co-operation between the UK and Ireland, the new arrangements mean that extradition will continue to be subject to judicial control rather than operating through political channels. The emphasis on the principle of proportionality is welcome and represents an improvement on the European Arrest Warrant.
Paragraph Reference:
50
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The extradition arrangements in the TCA are intended to be as fast and effective as those under the European Arrest Warrant, while providing greater safeguards for those who are arrested. The arrangements are based on the exchange of warrants between judicial authorities, which is similar to the arrangements in place between the EU and Norway and Iceland, and contain identical time limits to those under the European Arrest Warrant Framework Decision. Regarding dual criminality, it is an important principle of judicial cooperation and ensures that a person will not be extradited to an EU country for an offence which is not an offence in the UK. The UK and other EU criminal justice systems criminalise behaviour in very similar ways, so this will not have a bearing on most cases. Under the extradition arrangements we would therefore expect cooperation between the UK and Ireland on extradition to proceed largely as it did before the end of the Transition Period. We will continue to work closely with domestic operational partners and our partners in the EU to monitor the operation of the arrangements and will take steps to address any issues should they arise.