European investigation order in criminal matters in the European Union. General considerations. Some critical opinions

Throughout this paper we have conducted a general examination of the principles under which it is regulated the newest form of European judicial assistance in criminal matters, namely, the European Investigation Order in criminal matters. The examination is focused in particular on the necessity and importance of establishing this new form of legal assistance in criminal matters between the Member States, given that it will override the order of freezing property or evidence in the European Union. When examining the general principles of this form of assistance we have noticed some imperfections of the European law, therefore we have formulated some critical opinions, supplemented by proposals of de lege ferenda. At the same time, given that up to May 22, 2017 the European legal instrument will have to be transposed into the Romanian law, we have formulated some proposals of de lege ferenda aiming at the improvement of Law no. 302/2004 on international judicial cooperation in criminal matters, republished, as amended and supplemented. The innovations of the work regard the examination of the general principles set out in the Preamble of the European legal instrument, the importance and the necessity for adopting this regulation, as well as formulating critical opinions supplemented by appropriate proposals de lege ferenda. The current study follows other works in the international and European judicial cooperation in criminal matters domain, published in some national and foreign publishing houses and in the volumes of international or national scientific conferences. The work can be useful to academics, practitioners in the field and to the Romanian legislator from the perspective of transposing the provisions into the national law of the European legal instrument.