The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) is a legal procedure used in the European Union to facilitate the arrest and extradition of individuals suspected or convicted of serious crimes among EU member states. Here are the main points characterizing the EAW:

• Streamlining extradition procedures: the EAW has replaced traditional extradition procedures among EU member states, making the process quicker and less bureaucratic;
• Crimes covered: the warrant can be issued for crimes punishable by at least 12 months in prison, or for those already convicted, sentences longer than 4 months;
• Principle of mutual recognition: member states are required to recognize and execute arrest warrants issued by other member states, based on mutual trust in their respective judicial systems;
• Judicial decision: the EAW must be issued by a judicial authority, not a political body;
• Individual rights: the arrested person is entitled to a lawyer and an interpreter, if necessary. they also have the right to challenge their extradition in a court;
• Dual criminality: for certain specific crimes, it is not necessary to prove that the act is a crime in both the issuing and executing country. for other crimes, however, the principle of dual criminality applies;
• Limitations: the EAW cannot be used for political crimes, and there are safeguards against persecution for reasons of race, religion, gender, nationality, or political opinions;
• Delivery times: once accepted, the transfer should take place within a predetermined period (usually 60 days), which can be extended under special circumstances;
• Rule of speciality: the person surrendered cannot be prosecuted for crimes committed before the surrender other than those for which they were extradited;
• Ne bis in idem: a person cannot be extradited if they have already been tried for the same crime in another member state;

The European Arrest Warrant is considered a fundamental tool for judicial cooperation within the EU, especially in combating cross-border crime and terrorism.