European Arrest Warrant

A judicial decision through which one EU member state asks another to arrest and surrender a person for prosecution or to serve a prison sentence. It replaced traditional extradition between EU member states with a faster system of judicial cooperation.

Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant: The 2002 EU legal instrument establishing procedures for arrest warrants and surrender between member states. It sets the common rules that make the warrant operate across national borders.
European Union: A political and economic union of European countries with shared institutions and legal frameworks. The warrant is a system of judicial cooperation among its member states.
European Investigation Order: An EU judicial decision requesting investigative measures in another member state for a criminal case. It obtains evidence across borders, whereas the warrant secures a person’s surrender.
Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority: A 2012 United Kingdom Supreme Court case concerning the validity of a European Arrest Warrant issued by Swedish prosecutors. The case exposed disputes over which authorities count as judicial issuing authorities.
Mutual recognition: A principle under which states accept and give effect to one another’s judicial decisions. The warrant depends on member states recognizing one another’s judicial decisions.
European Commission: The executive institution of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation and overseeing its implementation. It monitors how member states implement the warrant framework.
Interpol Red Notice: A request to law-enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a wanted person. It circulates international arrest requests but does not itself create the warrant’s EU surrender duty.
LM case: A 2018 Court of Justice of the European Union case on suspending surrender where judicial independence is at risk. It set a rights-based test for concerns about the requesting country’s courts.
European Judicial Network: A network connecting national judicial authorities to facilitate cooperation in criminal matters across the European Union. Its contact points help authorities clarify and transmit warrant requests.
Court of Justice of the European Union: The EU court that interprets European Union law and ensures its consistent application. Its rulings clarify when national courts may refuse or limit surrender.

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Carles PuigdemontRelated: Spanish authorities used European arrest warrants in attempts to secure Puigdemont’s return.