Judicial cooperation: financial penalties, mutual recognition. Framework Decision. Initiative France, Sweden and United Kingdom

The Council, subject to parliamentary scrutiny reservations by some delegations and the opinion of the European Parliament, reached a general approach on the draft Framework Decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties. To recall, the aim of this Framework Decision is to apply the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties imposed by judicial or administrative authorities. In doing so, the list of offences included in the Framework Decision will give rise to recognition and enforcement without verification of the double criminality, if they are punishable in the issuing State and when the financial penalty is above 70 euros. The list of offences include the offences appearing on the corresponding list in the Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant. Other offences such as road traffic offences are also covered by the Framework Decision. The Council will formally adopt the Framework Decision at one of its next forthcoming meetings, once some outstanding details have been examined and the text has been revised by the legal-linguistic Working Party.�