Defence Rights in the Case Law of the Court of Justice of the European Union: News and Some Open Issues

S obzirom na protek vremena od isteka roka za transponiranje Sud EU-a imao je priliku u više predmeta dati tumačenje Direktive o pravu na informiranje u kaznenom postupku te Direktive o pravu na pristup branitelju. Tako je razmatrao trenutak od kojeg te trenutak do kojeg osobe osumnjičene za počinjenje kaznenog djela najkasnije moraju biti obaviještene o svojim pravima, dakle prvi dio prava koje uređuje Direktiva, i izrazio stajalište o pravu na uvid u materijale predmeta sukladno članku 7. Direktive, o pravu osumnjičenika i okrivljenika na pravno sredstvo u slučaju propuštanja ili odbijanja nadležnih tijela da pruže informacije u skladu s Direktivom te o primjeni članka 4. (obavijest o pravima kod uhićenja) i članka 7. Direktive na osobe uhićene radi izvršenja europskog uhidbenog naloga. Najveći dio prakse odnosi se na tumačenje članka 6. Direktive, koji uređuje pravo osumnjičenika i okrivljenika da budu obaviješteni o onome što im se stavlja na teret. Cilj je navedenog članka da osumnjičenici i okrivljenici dobiju sve informacije o optužbama koje im se stavljaju na teret, koje su im potrebne da pripreme obranu, ali i koje su potrebne da se osigura pravičnost postupka. U odnosu na Direktivu o pravu na pristup odvjetniku Sud je razmatrao sukladnost bugarskih nacionalnih odredaba o isključenju branitelja s Direktivom, kao i ograničenja prava na pristup branitelju u kontekstu španjolskog prava.Considering the passage of time from the expiration of the deadline to transpose the Directive on the right to information in criminal proceedings and the Directive on the right of access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings, the Court of Justice of the European Union has had the opportunity to interpret the directives in a number of cases. The Court considered the moment from which, as well as the latest point at which, persons suspected or accused of a criminal offence must be informed of their rights. Therefore, the Court considered the first part of the rights regulated by the Directive. It also expressed its view on the right of access to the materials of the case under Article 7 of the Directive, its view on the right of suspects and accused persons to a remedy to challenge the failure or refusal of the competent authorities to provide information in accordance with the Directive, and on the application of Articles 4 and 7 to persons arrested under a European Arrest Warrant. The majority of the case law deals with the interpretation of Article 6 of the Directive, regulating the right of suspects or accused persons to be provided with information about the criminal act they are suspected or accused of having committed. The aim of the mentioned article of the Directive is for suspects and accused persons to receive the information on charges against them, which is necessary for the preparation of their defence, but also for ensuring the fairness of the proceedings. Concerning the Directive on the right of access to a lawyer, the Court considered whether the Bulgarian national provisions on the dismissal of a lawyer (exclusion) are in line with the Directive, as well as the limitations on the right of access to a lawyer in Spanish law