Abstract
After a general picture of European legal instruments which, on the basis of mutual recognition, are concerned with the execution abroad, within the EU judicial space, of freezing orders for purposes of securing evidence and confiscation of property, the Author examines the Italian implementing legislation (Legislative Decree no. 35/2016) of Framework decision 2003/577/JHA.
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Notes
- 1.
After the presentation of this paper, Italy implemented Directive 2014/41/EU on the European investigation order, with Legislative Decree no. 108/2017, and Directive 2014/42/EU on the freezing and confiscation of instrumentalities and proceeds of crime, with Legislative Decree no. 202/206.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
In the list under Article 3, there are, inter alia: terrorism, trafficking in human beings, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, illicit trafficking in weapons, munitions and explosives, corruption, computer-related crime, environmental crime, murder, kidnapping, illegal restraint and hostage-taking, racketeering and extortion, counterfeiting and piracy of products, illicit trafficking in nuclear or radioactive materials, trafficking in stolen vehicles.
- 5.
According to this framework, the risk is that frozen goods cannot be transferred to the issuing Member State. The risk is not so remote if one considers that under traditional legal assistance double criminality is a general condition.
- 6.
Adopted following the so called legge di delegazione europea 2014 (European Law of Delegation 2014) (Law of 9 July 2015, no. 114). See, in particular, article 18, para. 1, let. b).
- 7.
Scholars believe that, in the implementation of European laws concerning orders freezing evidence and property with a view to confiscation, the Italian legislator should have adopted one single, comprehensive legislative act, rather than three different Legislative Decrees (d. lgs. no. 35/2016, d. lgs. no. 202/2016 and d. lgs. no. 108/2017). Stratification of three different implementing legislation in a little more than one year contributed to create confusion on applicable law. See: Daraio (2016), pp. 1133 ff., and 1142; Valentini (2017), pp. 39 ff.
- 8.
Reference to bodies of the crime or goods pertinent to a crime recalls orders freezing evidence, since Article 253 of the Code of criminal procedure provides the freezing of “body of the crime or goods pertinent to a crime which are necessary for the finding of facts”; but the subsequent clarification seems to reduce the scope of application only to the body of the crime and goods pertinent to a crime which may be subject to confiscation, according to Article 240 of the Criminal code.
- 9.
Art. 2, para. 2, let. c) of Framework decision 577/2003 includes in the notion of good both the proceeds of crime and the equivalent to the value of such proceeds.
- 10.
- 11.
Reference to the judicial authority that, in the course of criminal proceedings, issued a freezing order undoubtedly excludes that legitimated to act are also administrative or police authorities.
- 12.
The certificate has the function to certify correctness of both information in the order concerning the proceedings, and the goods subject to the order.
- 13.
Valentini (2017), p. 44.
- 14.
And to the General Prosecutor of the Court of Appeal if it refers to proceedings for crimes listed under Article 407, para. 2, let. a) of the Code of criminal procedure.
- 15.
Valentini (2017), pp. 49–50.
- 16.
According to Valentini (2017), p. 50, because of this limitation, the re-examination is deprived of its typical feature, since ex article 8, para. 2 the check on the merit (i.e. on the substantive reasons for issuing the freezing order), reserved for the foreign judicial authority, is precluded.
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Di Paolo, G. (2019). Freezing Evidence and Property: Already in Force Mutual Recognition Among EU Member States. In: Rafaraci, T., Belfiore, R. (eds) EU Criminal Justice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97319-7_7
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