Eiropas Savienības kriminālprocesuālās sadarbības attīstība nacionālā tiesiskā regulējuma kontekstā

The current chapter reviews the development of cross-border cooperation measures within the Criminal Procedure Law, with particular emphasis on the impact of European Union law over the past twenty years. Aiming to clarify how the European Union legal framework and newly established institutions have impacted transnational criminal procedural cooperation, the normative scope of European Union directives, framework decisions, and regulations within national legislation is examined. The author assesses the dynamics of legislative amendments and identifies challenges that inevitably arise in obtaining evidence, extradition, application of the European arrest warrant, activities of joint investigation teams, and other procedural aspects. Analysing the impact of European Union law on the amendments to Part C of the Criminal Procedure Law from 2005 to 2024, introduced by the amendments to the Law, the author concludes that the transformation of the regulatory framework and the expansion of institutional cooperation align with the priorities defined in the Lisbon Treaty. Overall, both benefits – such as more effective evidence collection and simplification of cooperation procedures – and challenges – such as procedural fragmentation in certain areas – are observed. The Latvian legal system continues its integration into the European legal space, and this process requires constant regulatory adaptation. Altogether, it must be concluded that the legislature’s intention reflects the development of European Union law in the field of criminal law cooperation and demonstrates the flexibility of the national framework to adapt to both procedural requirements and the clarification of institutional competence in order to ensure effective and timely cooperation between competent authorities within the European Union. The development of legal norms indicates that ensuring legally coherent cooperation with other EU Member States requires the continuous implementation of legislative amendments, adapting it to the regulatory and practical aspects. Currently, the national legal framework functions in close connection with the case-law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Therefore, to ensure the qualitative, proportionate application of EU regulations without violating fundamental human rights, it is essential to maintain ongoing awareness on the rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union and changes in the national legal framework. Cooperation in the field of criminal law is not static but highly dynamic, requiring flexibility from the states and professionalism, as well as readiness from competent authorities to adapt to modern legal solutions within the unified legal space.