Lords call for better protection for British citizens in Europe
The protections offered to EU citizens under criminal investigation outside their own country need to be strengthened, according to a House of Lords sub-committee on EU law.
It highlights cases such as the arrest of British plane spotters in Greece to point to “the breadth of legal and cultural differences” across the EU.
The committee backs proposals by the European Commission to grant EU citizens abroad the right to legal advice, an interpreter and translation of documents, communications with diplomatic representatives and a ‘letter of rights’ in their own language.
But, it says that these protections must be implemented at a high level. It urges the British government to push for stringent implementation and avoid the “temptation to agree standards at the lowest common denominator level.”
Britain will hold the presidency of the EU in the latter half of this year.
Committee chair Lord Scott of Foscote, said: “British citizens facing justice abroad will only be confident of access to standards of criminal justice comparable to those in the United Kingdom if the Government takes a strong stance on minimum safeguards now.”
