EC closes two infringement procedures against Bulgaria
The European Commission said on April 2 that it was closing two infringement proceedings against Bulgaria after the country brought its national laws in line with EU rules on passenger name record data and framework decisions on criminal law.
The Commission said that it was acknowledging the current strain on the administrative resources of EU member states caused by the coronavirus outbreak, which was the reason why it published only closed cases in which the issues had been solved without the Commission needing to pursue the procedure further.
However, it also said that the Commission exercised its role of guardian of the EU treaties with “great responsibility and it has made it clear to the member states that it will nevertheless continue to pursue infringement proceedings as necessary, including through regular infringement cycles.”
The two cases concerned the full transposition of Directive 2016/681 on the use of passenger name record data for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences and serious crime, as well as three framework decisions on criminal law, which envision mutual recognition to judgments or probation decisions, judgments in criminal matters imposing custodial sentences, and mutual recognition to financial penalties.
(European Commission headquarters Berlaymont building. Photo: JLogan)
