During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the report by Sarah LUDFORD on the rights to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

Fundamental rights (T2)

REDING, Viviane (EPP, LU)

LUDFORD, Sarah (ALDE, UK, Baroness)

Rights to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Sarah LUDFORD (ALDE, UK), rapporteur, I believe the parliament used well its newly acquired Lisbon Treaty powers... We fought hard to raise standards on certain key points, including interpretation of communications between the suspect and the lawyer in all phases of the proceedings, the suspect to have the right to challenge a decision that there is no need for interpretation or translation and also the right to complain on quality. We secure the right to limit recourse to partial translation, so all essential material must be translated and oral exceptions being an exception, and that the suspect should not be allowed to wave the right to translation without prior advice...

SOUNDBITE (English), Sarah LUDFORD (ALDE, UK), rapporteur, Good efficient justice through high quality decisions means catching more criminals and cutting corners on costs is not best value; since if you get a poor Court decision or bad police practise then people are going to appeal; cheap justice is no justice.

SOUNDBITE (English), Viviane REDING, European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, udges and prosecutors must be confident that no matter where the proceedings take place in the Union, a common core of basic rights will be upheld. And the citizens must be sure that minimum standards for procedural rights will enforce their trust in our justice system and also in the EU as an area of freedom and security and justice.

SOUNDBITE (English), Viviane REDING, European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, The directive as it is on the table now will increase the minimum standards consistent provision of interpretation throughout the criminal proceedings and translation of essential documents will result simply in a fair trial right to be upheld in a more systematic and streamlined way and I fully agree with Mme Rapporteur, cheap justice is no justice and leads to more costs in the end and to no trust of, as well the judges, as well the citizens.