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EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON EXTRADITION COMES INTO EFFECT

01 January 1991

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON EXTRADITION COMES INTO EFFECT
bacdoc November=1991

Home Office press release 14 May 1991

The European Convention on Extradition, which was ratified by the
United Kingdom on 13 February 1991, comes into effect today.

The main effect will be simpler and speedier extradition between
the United Kingdom and 19 other countries who are party to the
Convention.

The Convention abolishes the requirement that an extradition
request be accompanied by sufficient supporting evidence to
establish a prima facie case. Extradition in future can occur
simply on the basis of a request, an arrest warrant, a statement
of the facts of the offence and evidence of law and identity.
It will ensure that extradition is not hampered by differences
in legal systems.

The Convention will replace existing bilateral treaties and for
the first time introduce extradition arrangements with
Liechtenstein and Turkey. The United Kingdom has made clear that
in giving effect to the Convention it will have regard to its
human rights obligations and in particular the obligations under
the European Convention on Human Rights.

The states who are party to the Convention is: Austria, Cyprus,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel,
Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the
United Kingdom.

Although the Republic of Ireland ratified the Convention in 1966,
the United Kingdom informed the Irish Government last year that
it did not wish the Convention to supersede the existing
extradition arrangements with them under the Backing of Warrant
(Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 under which the police in one
country may obtain an arrest warrant which is enforceable by the
police in the other country following reciprocal endorsement by
magistrates there. These arrangements, which are simpler, more
expeditious and cover a wider range of offences than the
Convention cover will therefore continue.