Right to a fair trial — New rules to guarantee presumption of innocence
Since 1 April 2018 new rules apply to guarantee that anyone suspected or accused in criminal proceedings is innocent until proven guilty, in compliance with EU Directive 2016/343. The Directive also ensures that everyone benefits from the right to be present at their trial.
This directive is part of a package of six laws which ensures people have common rights whether they are accused or suspected in their home country or elsewhere in the EU, and allows for better judicial cooperation across the EU.
List of documents
- Directive (EU) 2016/343 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on the strengthening of certain aspects of the presumption of innocence and of the right to be present at the trial in criminal proceedings
- COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for measures on the strengthening of certain aspects of the presumption of innocence and of the right to be present at trial in criminal proceedings
- GREEN PAPER Strengthening mutual trust in the European judicial area – A Green Paper on the application of EU criminal justice legislation in the field of detention
Summaries of EU legislation
- Criminal proceedings — Presumption of innocence and the right to be present at the trial
- Right to information in criminal proceedings
- Fair trial: suspects’ right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings
- Right to access a lawyer in criminal and European warrant arrest proceedings
- Criminal proceedings — procedural safeguards for children who are suspected or accused of crimes
- Procedural safeguards for vulnerable persons in criminal proceedings
- Charter of Fundamental Rights
- Putting the Charter of Fundamental Rights into practice