Case C‑147/22

Criminal proceedings against Terhelt5

(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Fővárosi Törvényszék)

Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 19 October 2023

(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement – Article 54 – Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – Article 50 – Principle ne bis in idem – Admissibility of criminal prosecution for corruption of an accused person in one Member State after the closure of the criminal proceedings brought against him in respect of the same acts by the public prosecutor’s office of another Member State – Conditions which must be satisfied in order for the accused person’s trial to be regarded as having been finally disposed of – Condition of an assessment of the merits of the case – Requirement for a detailed investigation – No questioning of the accused person)

Judicial cooperation in criminal matters – Protocol integrating the Schengen acquis – Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement – Principle ne bis

 – Condition for application – Preclusion of further prosecution – Scope – Decision to acquit taken by the public prosecutor’s office of a Member State due to insufficient evidence – Included – Possibility for the public prosecutor’s office to continue the proceedings under strictly defined conditions – No impact – Decision to be given after a determination has been made as to the merits of the case – Potential for failure to question the accused person to indicate that no detailed investigation was undertaken – Conditions

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 50; Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement, Art. 54)

(see paragraphs 29-31, 33, 35, 38, 45, 50-53, 58-60, operative part)

See the text of the decision.