Editor: Peter Mc Namee Editorial Board: Birgit Beger Antoine Fobe Sieglinde Gamsjäger Karine Métayer Peter Mc Namee Editorial Secretaries: Alexandre Mahé (translator) Sophie Testaert (layout) CCBE-INFO - European lawyers promoting law & justice - -Les avocats européens p o ur l e dr o it & la just i c e - Content February 2010 / N° 24 Message from the CCBE President 2 CCBE Presidency 2010 2 New Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship 3 50th anniversary of the CCBE 3 Colloquium on secret professionnel/legal professional privilege in European case-law 3 Criminal law 4 Cross border legal aid project 4 Factsheets on rights of defendants 4 Commission Green Paper on Evidence in criminal matters 4 Procedural safeguards for suspects and defendants in criminal proceedings 5 Competition 5 European Parliament breakfast meeting - The Challenge of Assessing the Public Interest in Professional Services Regulation: the lawyers’ view 5 Best practices in antitrust proceedings 5 Deontology - England and Wales consultations 6 Legal Services Board (LSB) consultation on alternative business structures 6 Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) second consultation on conflict and confidentiality 6 GATS 6 OECD Services Trade Restriction Index (STRI) 6 European Contract Law 7 European Parliament hearing of Commissioner-designate Viviane Reding 8 CCBE Human RightsAward 8 European Court of Human Rights 9 Russia’s ratification of Protocol 14 9 Interlaken Conference 9 IT Law 9 E-Justice 9 Personal data protection 10 Interconnection of business registers 10 Legal aid 10 Money laundering 11 European Commission study on the impact of the money laundering Directives on the legal profession 11 FinancialAction Task Force (FATF) - Recommendation 9 of the FATF 40 Recommendations 11 ...
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yers e CCBE-INFO€¦ · ccbe-info n° 24/2010 3 New Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, announced
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Message from the CCBE PresidentTheyear2010isaspecialyearfortheCCBE,asitwillcommemoratethe50thanniver-saryofthefoundingoftheCCBE .FiftyyearsofbeingthevoiceofthelegalprofessioninaunitedEurope;fiftyyearsofservingnotonlytheinterestsofEuropeanlawyers,butalsothoseofthesocietyforwhichwework;anarduousandlongexperiencewhichen-couragesustocontinuetoworktoupholdtheruleoflaw .
ThisyearalsomarkstheimplementationoftheLisbonTreaty,whichintroducessigni-ficantchangesinthelegalstructureoftheEuropeanUnion,forwhichwearewillingtoprovideour loyalcollaboration .TheCCBEwillensureatall times thatdevelopmentstakeplacewithoutcompromisingtherightsofanyone-notjustlawyers,butalsocitizens-byreachingMEPsandtheEUInstitutionswithourwarningsandvigilance .
New Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship
ThePresidentoftheEuropeanCommission,JoséManuelBarroso,announcedon15September2009,whenseekingEuropeanParliamentsupport forhisre-election,thathewouldsplitCommissionerBarrot’sportfolio intwo,toseparatejusticeandhomeaffairs .Thiswasconfirmedon27Novemberwiththeappoint-mentofVivianeRedingasCommissioner forJustice,FundamentalRightsandCitizenship, and of CeciliaWalström asCommissioner for HomeAffairs . Eversince2003, theCCBEhascalled for theestablishmentofaseparatedirector-ate-generalforJusticeattheCommission .ThesplitofportfoliosisastepintherightdirectionforEuropeasitwillhelpbringmoreattentiontomanyoftheim-portant justice issues inEurope, andavoid that some important justice issuesaredispersedamongvariousotherDGsashasbeenthecasebefore .However,theCCBEbelievesthatthere-organisationshouldnotstopthere,becausedualCommissionerssittingatopacombinedadministrativestaffwithintheexistingDGJustice,FreedomandSecuritydoesnotfullysolvethecontinuingriskoftensionsbetweensecurityconcernsontheonehand,andjusticeandfundamentalrightsontheotherhand,tothedetrimentofthelatter .
Commission Green Paper on Evidence in criminal matters
InNovember2009,theCommissionadoptedaGreenPaperwithaviewtotakingactiontoimprovecooperationbetweenMemberStatesonobtainingevidenceincriminalmatters .TheCommis-sion intends to replace the existing legal regime on obtainingevidence in criminalmatters by a single instrument based ontheprincipleofmutualrecognitioncoveringalltypesofevidenceandtointroducecommonstandardsforgatheringevidenceincriminalmatters .TheCommissionbelievesthattheexistingrulesonobtainingevidencefromanotherMemberStateconsistofanumberofco-existinginstrumentsbasedondifferentunderlyingprinciplesandscopes,and thismakes theapplicationof the rulesburdensome . Inaddition, theCommissionbelieves that itmaycauseconfusionamongpractitionersandleadtosituationswheretheydonotusethemostappropriateinstrumentfortheevidencesought .TheGreenPapersetouttoconsultMemberStatesandrelevantstakeholdersonthevalidityofthisapproachandonanumberofissuesthatarerelevantinthisrespect .TheCriminalLawCommitteesubmittedaresponsetotheGreenPaperinJanuary2010,andtheCCBEwasrepresentedatahearingorganisedbytheCom-missionon9February2010 .
Link toCCBE response to thegreenPaper: (http://www .ccbe .eu/fileadmin/user_upload/NTCdocument/EN_Draft_response_Cr1_1264429903 .pdf)
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Procedural safeguards for suspects and defendants in criminal proceedings
TheissueofproceduralsafeguardsforsuspectsanddefendantsincriminalproceedingsisanissuethattheCriminalLawCommitteehasdiscussedandfollowedformanyyears .Currently,therearenoEU-wideminimumsafeguardsforsuspectsanddefendantsincriminalproceedingsdespitethesurgeininstrumentsthathavebeenagreedforthepurposesofprosecution .Forsomeperspectiveonthematter,theMemberStatesagreedinOctober1999that“en-hancedmutualrecognitionofjudicialdecisionsandjudgmentsandthenecessaryapproximationoflegislationwouldfacilitatecooperationbetweenauthoritiesand the judicial protection of individual rights” .In2004,MemberStatesagreedthat:“The further realisation of mutual recognition as the cornerstone of judicial cooperation implies the deve-
lopment of equivalent standards for procedural rights in criminal proceeding, based on the studies of the existing level of safeguards in Member States and with due respect for their legal traditions .”Therefore,10yearshavepassedwithnoconcreteresulttodate .TheCriminalLawCommitteebelievesthattheimbalancewhichcurrentlyexistsattheEuropeanlevelbetweentherightsoftheprosecutionandtherightsofthede-fencethreatenstoundermineconfidenceintheprincipleofmutualrecognition
UndertheSwedishPresidency(thatcametoanendinJuly2009),itwasagreedthatrightswillbeintroducedonebyoneratherthanasapackageofrights–asocalled“stepbystep”approach .Withinthisapproach,thefirstproposedrightthatwasintro-ducedfocussedonlegaltranslationandinterpretation .BeforeChristmas,agreementhadbeen reachedon interpretationand translation followingdiscussions that tookplaceintheCouncilofMinisters .However,withtheintroductionoftheLisbonTreatyinDecember2009,thematterhadtobeintroducedagainasEUco-decisionprocedures
European Parliament breakfast meeting - The Challenge of Assessing the Public Interest in Professional Services Regulation: the lawyers’ viewAtthebeginningofNovember2009,MEPKlaus-HeinerLehne,chairoftheEuropeanPar-liamentLegalAffairsCommittee,hostedaCCBEmeetingbringingtogetherrepresentativesfromtheEuropeaninstitutions,academicsandCCBErepresentativesinordertodiscussthemethodologyofCommissioncompetitionandregulatorystudies .Theexpertspeakers-Mat-thiasKilian(alawyerandacademicfromGermany)andFrankStephen(aneconomistandacademicfromtheUK)-highlightedintheircontributionsthatveryoftenstudiesundertakenbytheEuropeanCommissionlacktimeandthenecessaryfinancialresources .Besides,stu-diesareoftencarriedoutbyinstitutesandconsultancieswhichdonotnecessarilyhavetheexpertiseinagivenfield .DGCompetition–standingbyitsreportsof2004and2005-invitedtheBarsandLawSocietiestolookmoreattheeconomicsideoftheirprofession .
TheOECDisworkingondevelopingaservicestraderestrictionsindexwhichillustratesrestrictionsthatexistwithintheservicessectors(inclu-ding legalservices) . TheGATScommittee is followingdevelopmentsandwouldliketoprovideinputintotheprocessinordertopresentthepositionofthelegalprofession,andinordertoprovidetheOECDwithagreaterunderstandingoftheissuesregardingrestrictionsthatareim-portant to the legalprofession . TheGATSCommitteehadameetingwitharepresentativefromtheOECDandwillprovidesuggestionstoimprovetheindex(asdifferentrestrictionscarryadifferentweightintheOECDscoringindex) .
European Contract LawTheCCBEhasbeenactiveintheareaofEuropeanContractLawandadoptedapositiononthedraftConsumerrightsdirective,COM2008(614/3)pleaseseehttp://www .ccbe .eu/fileadmin/user_upload/NTCdocument/EN_CCBE_position_on_1_1260182031 .pdf and the Draft Common Frame of Reference (please see: http://www .ccbe .eu/fileadmin/user_upload/NTCdocument/DCFRpdf1_1262861061 .pdf)
Ingeneral,theCCBEbelievesthattheSalesDirective1999/441,whichhasbeenenactedbytheEUMemberStatesandtheCSIG(ConventiononContractsfortheInternationalSaleofGoods)andwhichisequallyenactedbymostoftheEUMemberStatestogetherwiththevariousnationalrules,isaregimesufficienttoregulatesaleslawatEuro-peanlevel .TheCCBE,however,hasidentifiedcertainareasforrevisionoftheSalesDirectivewithintheFrameworkofEuropeanContractLaw,suchas:conformitywiththecontract,rightsoftheconsumer,timelimits,bindingna-ture,definitionofdeliveryandpassingofrisk .Asregardsmandatory rights inprotectionof the consumer (Art .7),theCCBEsupportstheextension2oftheserightstobusi-nesstobusinesscontracts,aswellasthestandardofthe“weakerparty”providedby theLatePaymentDirectiven°35/2000(art .3(3):“grosslyunfair”or“grossdeviationfromgoodcommercialpractice”) .
Furthermore,theCCBEhasalsotakenintoaccountthepositionof theCommissioner for Justice,FundamentalRightsandCitizenship,VivianeReding, in her presen-tationofthepoliticalperspectiveoftheCommissionontheCFRasapossibleinstrumentforEuropeanContractLaw .TheCommissionerintendstocomplete–withthehelp of academic expertise from across Europe – theworkon thecommon frameof reference in thecourseof2010,andtoincludeitthereafterintoawell-publicisedlegalinstrument .Moreover,shestressedthatsheintendstoworkonthethreefirstbuildingblocksofacoherentEu-ropeancontractlaw,namelystandardtermsandconditions,consumerrightsandcommonprinciplesofcontractlaw,withthepurposeofpavingthewayforonedaydevelopingaEuropeanCivilCode(whichcouldtaketheformeitherofavoluntarytooltoimprovecoherence,orofanoptional28thcontractlawregimeorofamoreambitiousproject) .
TheHumanRightsAward2009wasgrantedtoStanislav Markelov,aRussianlawyerassassinatedon19Janu-ary2009inMoscow .StanislavMarkelov,whowasalsoajournalistandthePresidentofthe“RuleofLawInstitute”,dedicatedhiswholeprofessional life to thepromotionofhumanrights inRussia .Despitehisyoungage,hehadoutstandingachievementstohisname,notonlyforthepartiesthathedefendedandassisted,butmoregenerallyforthedevelopmentoftheruleoflawinthewholeRussianFederation .
At the beginning of July 2009, theDirectorateGeneral of Freedom,Secu-rity and Justice of the EuropeanCommission published an invitation for aconsultationonthelegalframeworkforthefundamentalrighttoprotectionofpersonaldata,particularly in theareaof freedom, justiceandsecurity .ThisopenconsultationfollowedtheCommission’sconferenceon19-20May2009entitled:“Personaldata–moreuse,moreprotection?”(WereportedonitinCCBEINFO23) .
TheCCBEhassubmittedaresponsetotheEuropeanCommission’sconsultationontheinterconnectionofbusinessregisters .TheCCBE approved in principle of the interconnection of business registers, since it is necessary toensuregreater legalcertainty foreconomicandcommercial transactionswithin theEUandEEA,and toprovidelawyerswithaneffectivetooltoinformandadvisetheirclients .However,theCCBEunderlines,inter alia,thatanyfutureinstrumentshouldbespecifictothepeculiarstructureofbusinessregistersintermsofinformationcollectedandauthenticationofitscontentandorigin .Forfulldetails,pleasesee:http://www .ccbe .eu/fileadmin/user_upload/NTCdocument/EN_Livre_vert_Interc1_1265013437 .pdf
• Beneficiariesof legal aid .TheCCBEconsiders thataccess to legal aid shouldbeguaranteed toallEUcitizens,butalsotothirdcountrynationalshabituallyresidentinaMemberState,asrecommendedbytheHagueConventionof1980onInternationalAccesstoJustice(extensionofthe“nondiscriminationprinciple”) .
However, theStockholmProgramme,adoptedbytheEUCouncilon11December2009,doesnotrecognisetheimportanceoflegalaidasanessentialelementofaccesstojustice,particularlyincross-bordercases .
European Commission study on the impact of the money laundering Directives on the legal profession.
InJuly2009,theCommission(DGInternalMarket)launchedatenderforastudyontheimpactofthemoneylaun-deringDirectiveswithaspecialemphasisonthelegalprofession .ThestudywillbecarriedoutinresponsetoArticle42ofthe2005MoneyLaunderingDirective .Article42states:“By 15 December 2009, and at least at three-yearly intervals thereafter, the Commission shall draw up a report on the implementation of this Directive and submit it to the European Parliament and the Council. For the first such report, the Commission shall include a specific examination of the treatment of lawyers and other independent legal professionals.”
TheCCBEiscooperatingwiththeInternationalBarAs-sociationandtheAmericanBarAssociationwithregardto Recommendation 9 of the FATF 40 Recommenda-tions . Recommendation 9 allows countries to permitfinancial institutions andothers (including lawyers)torelyonintermediariesorother third parties to per-form the identificationandverification requirementsof the customer due dili-gence(CDD)processortointroducebusiness,providedthatcertaincriteriaaremet .However,evenwheresuchrelianceispermitted,theultimateresponsibilityforcus-tomeridentificationandverificationremainswiththeper-
athirdparty,providedthatin all the circumstancesthe reliance was reaso-nable .TheFATFsentoutaconsultationpaperon23September 2009, and theCCBE, IBA and the ABA
submitted amemorandum on 5 November setting outwhy the ultimate responsibility requirement should berevised .TheFATFiscurrentlyanalysingthecommentsreceived .
In continuation of its support to theSerbianBarAs-sociation, theCCBEsenta letter to thePresidentofSerbia last December drawing his attention to theproblemsraisedbytheproposedintroductionoffiscal