The European Parliament was set yesterday to debate a proposal for common criminal proceeding rules across the EU.
EU enlargement is also on the agenda for the four-day monthly plenary session, which began yesterday, with European lawmakers due to vote tomorrow on whether to endorse EU membership for Bulgaria and Romania.
The 732-member body was to discuss yesterday the European Commission's blueprint on common procedural rights in criminal proceedings -- excluding terrorism-related cases.
The proposal seeks to improve the rights of suspects and defendants. The measures proposed to ensure minimum standards include access to legal advice, free interpretation and translation, the rights to communicate with consular authorities and notifying suspects of their rights.
Parliament's foreign affairs committee last month gave its approval for Bulgaria and Romania to become EU members in January 2007, clearing the way for the full assembly to follow suit.
The committee also demanded the right for European deputies to participate in the enlargement process until Bulgaria and Romania actually become EU members. Formally, the parliament's role in the 2007 enlargement ends with tomorrow's vote.
The EU foreign ministers and their Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts are to sign treaties spelling out membership conditions on April 25, giving their national parliaments 20 months to ratify the documents.
The EU is not giving Romania and Bulgaria an absolute guarantee they will join in 2007. Their entry treaties contain "super safeguard clauses" that could trigger a one-year delay.
To join in 2007, Bulgaria must improve its justice and law enforcement systems and step up the fight against corruption and organized crime.
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