Melloni v Ministerio Fiscal (Case C-399/11); [2013] WLR (D) 83

“Article 4a(1) of Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA of 13 June 2002 on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between member states (as amended by Council Framework Decision 2009/299/JHA of 26 February 2009) precluded the executing judicial authorities, in the circumstances specified in that provision, from making the execution of a European arrest warrant, issued for the purposes of executing a sentence, conditional upon the conviction rendered in absentia being open to review in the issuing member state. Article 4a(1) of Framework Decision 2002/584 was compatible with the requirements under articles 47 and 48(2) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Article 53 of the Charter did not allow a member state to make the surrender of a person convicted in absentia conditional upon the conviction being open to review in the issuing member state, in order to avoid an adverse effect on the right to a fair trial and the rights of the defence guaranteed by its constitution.”

WLR Daily, 26th February 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk