The main responsibilities and work of the Legal Affairs Unit, within the framework of the participation in the Working Groups in the EU concerns:

(a) Issues of Cooperation in the Sectors of Justice and Home Affairs (Chapter 24, Justice & Home Affairs) and in particular, issues of substantive criminal law and international legal and judicial cooperation in criminal and civil matters, including human rights issues, and

(b) Issues of Chapter 2 (Free Movement of Persons) and specific issues of cross-border practice of the legal profession.


Directives incorporated into Cypriot law concerning Criminal and European Arrest Warrant Proceedings

Directives incorporated into Cypriot law concerning the rights of suspects and accused persons in criminal proceedings, as well as the rights of requested persons in European arrest warrant proceedings:

· Directive 2010/64/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings·

· Directive 2012/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2012 on the right to information in criminal proceedings·

· Directive 2013/48/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2013 on the right of access to a lawyer in criminal proceedings and in European arrest warrant proceedings, and on the right to have a third party informed upon deprivation of liberty and to communicate with third persons and with consular authorities while deprived of liberty·

· Directive (EU) 2016/343 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on the strengthening of certain aspects of the presumption of innocence and of the right to be present at the trial in criminal proceedings·

· Directive (EU) 2016/1919 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on legal aid for suspects and accused persons in criminal proceedings and for requested persons in European arrest warrant proceedings.