On 10 May 2017, a regional meeting of the European Judicial Network (EJN) took place in Riga. The meeting focused on mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation orders and was organised by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia with financial support from the EJN budget.
Among the participants of the meeting were representatives from the ministries of justice, prosecutor’s offices and police authorities from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, as well as Mr. Ola Löfgren, the Secretary to the European Judicial Network.
The Ministry of Justice as the main EJN coordinator in Latvia, together with representatives from the International Cooperation Department of the Prosecution Office set the substantive framework of the meeting.
The meeting was moderated by the Latvian EJN National Correspondent, Mrs Baiba Jugane-Lintere, assisted by other EJN Contact Points from Latvia, Mrs Evita Kalve, Mr Viktors Makucevičs and Mrs Una Brenča. The meeting was organised in the form of discussions, thus encouraging and facilitating the mutual exchange of experience.
Mrs Evita Kalve from the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Justice presented the freezing and confiscation instruments applicable in the EU, as well as beyond.
Mr Viktor Makucevičs from the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Justice provided an insight into a proposal for a new Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation orders (hereinafter – Regulation). The aim of the new Regulation is to improve the mutual recognition of freezing and confiscation orders in cross-border cases, to extend the scope of mutual recognition instruments, to provide simpler and faster judicial cooperation procedures, as well as to provide an opportunity for victims to receive cross-border compensation. The framework of the new Regulation will assist in harmonizing the relationship between freezing and confiscation, and it will open new opportunities for cooperation between Member States, for example, the extended confiscation. Moreover V.Makucevičs provided an insight into certain aspects of confiscation orders, such as bona fide confiscation processes, extended confiscation, confiscation without a conviction ruling, and grounds for refusal.
The Head of International Cooperation Department of the Prosecution Office, Mrs Una Brenča, provided an insight into mutual recognition of freezing orders, grounds for refusal, as well as such specific issues as the execution of orders on the freezing of assets.
During the meeting participants shared their experience on freezing and confiscation, providing both good and less successful examples of cooperation within the EU and with non-EU countries.
Detailed information about this meeting can be found on the website of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Latvia (Latvian language).