Commission pressures Greece to correctly implement EU fair trial directive

The European Commission has urged Greece to properly transpose European Union regulations regarding the presumption of innocence and the right to be present at trial.

The EU's executive body has decided to initiate an infringement procedure by issuing a formal notice to Greece for its failure to correctly implement the directive on strengthening the presumption of innocence and the right to be present at criminal trials (Directive 2016/343/EU). 

Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Sweden have also received formal notices on this matter.

This directive is one of six adopted by the EU to establish common minimum standards that ensure fair trials and adequate protection of the rights of suspects and accused persons across the bloc. The Commission has determined that certain national measures notified by the six member states fall short of the directive's...