The Concept of Trust in the Context of Principle of Mutual Recognition in European Union Criminal Law

Abstract

Before principle of mutual recognition gained its force in European Union legal cooperation in criminal matters the methods used in legal cooperation were not as effective, fast and economical as they were expected to be. Mutual recognition principle was meant to solve these problems by recognition of other member states legal decisions as if they were their own, with minimum formalities. In order to make this principle work high level of trust must exist between member states, so primarily we have to analyse the concept of trust as a precondition of successful application of the principle of the mutual recognition. In this paper the concept of trust is analysed in linguistic, sociological and legal terms in the context of the principle of mutual recognition in European Union criminal law.