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.

Other Directives recently incorporated into Cypriot law:

· Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA·
· Directive (EU) 2017/1371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2017 on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law.In the context of the policy for the protection of the financial interests of the European Union and with the aim of ensuring the uniform protection of the financial interests of the European Union in line with the acquis of the Union in this field, a Law was enacted entitled as" the Law on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law” incorporating into domestic law Directive 2017/1371/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 5, 2017 on the fight against fraud to the Union's financial interests by means of criminal law.

• With the aim of harmonizing the Cyprιοt law with the provisions of Directive 2019/713/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on combating fraud and counterfeiting of means of payment other than cash and replacing the 2011 Framework Decision /413/DEY, the Law on combating fraud and counterfeiting of non-cash means of payment of 2021, was enacted. Specifically, the Law establishes rules regarding the definition of criminal offenses and penalties, with regard to combat fraud and counterfeit of means of payment other than cash, and facilitates the prevention of these offenses and the provisions of assistance and support to victims.


Framework Decisions

Directive on the European Protection Order