Organisation of the judicial system

Judicial cooperation

General description of the national system for international judicial cooperation in criminal matters

In the Netherlands, the administrative handling of all incoming and outgoing requests for mutual legal assistance, both for judicial and police assistance, has been organized in 10 regional Centers for International Legal Assistance (IRCs), one National Centre for International Legal Assistance (LIRC), and a Centre for International Legal Assistance at the Functional Public Prosecutor's Office (IRC FP) and the IRC LE (Landelijke Eenheid) also forms part of this national network. An IRC is a joint venture between the public prosecution service and the police.

Text in original language, English and/or other available languages of the relevant national laws/provisions of the Criminal procedure codes on judicial cooperation in criminal matters

In The Netherlands the applicable legal provisions regarding judicial cooperation in criminal matters are currently subject to revision. An English version of the actual legislation is not available.

Links to some sections of the EJN website

Links to the relevant sections of the Council of Europe and United Nations Treaties Offices websites containing information on the conventions to which the Netherlands is party

National case law relevant for judicial cooperation in criminal matters

Information on the organisation of the EJN

The EJN Contact Points of the Netherlands
As described above the Netherlands has 10 International Legal Assistance Centres (IRC’s) one National IRC (LIRC) and the Department for International Affairs and Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters. For each IRC including the LIRC at least one public prosecutor has been assigned to fulfil the role as an EJN Contact Point. By choosing for this structure all the regions in the Netherlands are covered by an EJN Contact Point. These Regional Contact Points can be contacted for questions about operational affairs and penal matters to be executed within their IRC region or, if applicable, for questions about Framework Decisions in case this IRC is also the Central Authority for the execution of a specific instrument. Moreover, an EJN Contact Point for the judges can be contacted to advise about questions in penal matters of judges within the EU member states, who are also connected to this network. The Ministry of Security and Justice is also a Contact Point to be contacted for information on foreign law, policy matters or questionnaires that do not affect operational matters. All the EJN Contact Points in the Netherlands are in close contact with each other. In case a question by any EJN Contact Point of another EU member state is not addressed to the right Contact Point for the Netherlands, the question will be forwarded to the right Contact Point and the requesting authority will be notified about the transfer.

Useful national links