Case C-432/22

Criminal proceedings

against

PT

(Request for a preliminary ruling
from the Spetsializiran nakazatelen sad)

Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 28 November 2024

(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Area of freedom, security and justice – Judicial cooperation in criminal matters – Criminal offences and penalties in the field of illicit drug trafficking and the fight against organised crime – Possibility to reduce applicable penalties – Scope – Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA – Articles 4 and 5 – Framework Decision 2008/841/JHA – Articles 3 and 4 – National legislation not implementing EU law – Article 51(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – Effective judicial protection – Second subparagraph of Article 19(1) TEU – Criminal proceedings against several persons – Agreement for settlement of the case provided for in national law – Approval by an ad hoc court – Consent of the other defendants)

1. Member States – Obligations – Provision of remedies sufficient to ensure effective legal protection – Observance of the principle of judicial independence – Right to an independent and impartial tribunal previously established by law – National rules relating to the composition of court formations – Criminal proceedings brought against several defendants – Agreement for settlement of the case entered into by one of the defendants and the public prosecutor during the trial stage of those proceedings – National provision conferring on an ad hoc court jurisdiction to rule on that agreement – Whether permissible

   (Art. 19(1), second subpara., TEU)

   (see paragraphs 54-57, 59-62, operative part 1)

2. Member States – Obligations – Provision of remedies sufficient to ensure effective legal protection – Observance of the rights of the defence – Criminal proceedings brought against several defendants on the basis that they had participated in the same organised criminal group – Agreement for settlement of the case entered into by one of the defendants and the public prosecutor during the trial stage of those proceedings – National provision making judicial approval of that agreement subject to the consent of the other defendants – Whether permissible

   (Art. 19(1), second subpara., TEU)

   (see paragraphs 70-73, operative part 2)

See the text of the decision.