¹ See generally Transnational Organised Crime (Adam Edwards & Peter Gill eds., 2003); Annamaria Peccioli, Unione Europea e Criminalità Transnazionale: Nuovi Sviluppi (2005); Handbook of Transnational Crime and Justice (Philip Reichel ed., 2005).Google Scholar

² Novella Galantini, Il Principio del “Ne Bis in Idem” Internazionale Nel Processo Penale 6 (1984).Google Scholar

³ Bas van Bockel, The Ne Bis In Idem Principle in EU Law: A Conceptual and Jurisprudential Analysis 225 (2010) noted that in a legal system characterized by the presence of a number of States in which free movement of individuals is granted, the territorial scope of ne bis in idem must necessarily coincide with the territorial scope of the legal system.Google Scholar

⁴ On the topic, one may want to check the following: Robin Lööf, 54 CISA and the Principles of Ne Bis in Idem, 15 Euro. J. Crime, Crim. L. & Crim. Justice 309 (2007); Chiara Amalfitano, Il Principio del Ne Bis in Idem tra CAAS e Carta Dei Diritti Fondamentali Dell'Unione Europea, 52 Cassazione Penale 3889 (2012); Juliette Lelieur, “Transnationalising” Ne Bis in Idem: How the Rule of Ne Bis in Idem Reveals the Principle of Personal Legal Certainty, 9 Utrecht L. Rev. (2013) available at http://www.utrechtlawreview.org.Google Scholar

⁵ For that purpose, this author takes into account both horizontal transnational enforcement (when the same offense is considered in two or more EU Member States, or an EU Member State and another third country) and vertical application of the principle (where the same offense is considered by EU antitrust authorities and national antitrust authorities).Google Scholar

⁶ One should remember that, pursuant to Article 50 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, no one shall be liable to be tried or punished again in criminal proceedings for an offense for which he or she has already been finally acquitted or convicted within the EU.Google Scholar

⁷ See also Joined Cases 18 and 35–65, Gutmann, 1967 E.C.R. 75 for some hints.Google Scholar

⁸ Opinion of Advocate General Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer, Joined Cases C-187 and C-385/01, Gözütok and Brügge, 2003 E.C.R. I-1348, paras. 49 and 56.Google Scholar

⁹ Joined Cases C-187 and C-385/01, Gözütok and Brügge, 2003 E.C.R. I-1378, para. 44. For a review, see John A. E. Vervaele, The transnational ne bis in idem principle in the EU. Mutual recognition and equivalent protection of human rights, 1 Utrecht L. Rev. (2005), available at http://www.utrechtlawreview.org.Google Scholar

¹⁰ This issue is also underlined in Case C-469/03, Miraglia, 2005 E.C.R. I-2009 where the Court ruled out the application of ne bis in idem to a decision declaring a case to be closed on the sole ground that criminal proceedings have been started in another Member State against the same defendant and for the same fact. For a review, see Amalfitano, Chiara, Bis in idem per il “ne bis in idem”: Nuovo Quesito alla Corte di Giustizia, 40 Rivista di Diritto Internazionale Privato e Processuale 85 (2004).Google Scholar

¹¹ Opinion of Advocate General Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer, Case C-436/04, Van Esbroeck, 2006 E.C.R. I-2336, paras. 43–45.Google Scholar

¹² Case C-436/04, Van Esbroeck, 2006 E.C.R. I-2333, paras. 36, 38.Google Scholar

¹³ Case C-467/04, Gasparini and Others, 2006 E.C.R. I-9245. In Gasparini, the CJEU ruled that ne bis in idem applies to a court decision of a Member State by which the accused is acquitted finally because prosecution of the offense is time-barred.Google Scholar

¹⁴ Case C-150/05, van Straaten, 2006 E.C.R. I-9327. In van Straaten, the court acknowledged that the principle applies to a decision by which the accused is acquitted finally for lack of evidence.Google Scholar

¹⁵ Case C-288/05, Kretzinger, 2007 E.C.R. I-6441. In Kretzinger, the CJEU ruled that, for the purposes of Article 54 CISA, also a suspended custodial sanction is relevant.Google Scholar

¹⁶ Case C-367/05, Kraaijenbrink, 2007 E.C.R. I-6619. In Kraaijenbrink, the court held that it is up to national courts to assess whether the degree of identity and connection among all the facts is such that it is possible to find that they are the same act within the meaning of Article 54 CISA.Google Scholar

¹⁷ Case C-297/07, Bourquain, 2008 E.C.R. I-9425. In Bourquain, the CJEU acknowledged that the ne bis in idem principle also applies to cases where a sentence cannot be directly enforced on account of specific features of procedure, such as in an in absentia trial. For a review, see Brammer, Silke, Case C-297/07, Reference for a preliminary ruling from the Landgericht Regensburg in the criminal proceedings against Klaus Bourquain, Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 11 December 2008, 46 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 1685 (2009).Google Scholar

¹⁸ Case C-491/07, Turanský, 2008 E.C.R. I-11039. In Turanský, the court held that the ne bis in idem principle does not apply to a suspension decision which does not definitively bar further prosecution. This therefore does not preclude new criminal proceedings of the same act in the same state.Google Scholar

¹⁹ See Article 3(2) of the Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA of 13 June 2002 on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States—Statements made by certain Member States on the adoption of the Framework Decision, 2002 O.J. L 190/1.Google Scholar

²⁰ Case C-261/09, Mantello, 2010 E.C.R. I-11477. For a review, see Ouwerkerk, Jannemieke, Case C-261/09, Criminal proceedings against Gaetano Mantello, Judgment of the Court of Justice (Grand Chamber) of 16 November 2010, 48 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 1687 (2011).Google Scholar

²¹ Opinion of Advocate General Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer, Case C-297/07, Bourquain, 2008 E.C.R. I-9425, paras. 48–49.Google Scholar

²² Opinion of Advocate General Roemer, Case 14/68, Walt Wilhelm and Others v. Bundeskartellamt, 1969 E.C.R. I-17, para. 3.Google Scholar

²³ Id. at para. 2.Google Scholar

²⁴ Id. Google Scholar

²⁵ Case 14/68, Walt Wilhelm and Others v. Bundeskartellamt, 1969 E.C.R. 2, para. 11.Google Scholar

²⁶ Opinion of Advocate General Mayras, Case 7/72, Boehringer Mannheim, 1972 E.C.R. I-1291, para. 2.Google Scholar

²⁷ Id. at para. 3.Google Scholar

²⁸ Id. at para. 4.Google Scholar

²⁹ Id. Google Scholar

³⁰ Case 7/72, Boehringer Mannheim, 1972 E.C.R. 1281. On a similar topic, see Joined Cases C-238/99 P, C-244/99 P, C-245/99 P, C-247/99 P, C-250/99 P to C-252/99 P and C-254/99 P, Limburgse Vinyl Maatschappij, 2002 E.C.R. I-8375; Case C-289/04 P Showa Denko, 2006 E.C.R. I-5859; Case C-308/04 P, SGL Carbon, 2006 E.C.R. I-5977. See also Case T-141/89, Trefileurope, 1995 E.C.R. II-791; Case T-149/89, Sotralentz, 1995 E.C.R. II-1127; Joined Cases T-236/01, T-239/01, T-244/01 to T-246/01, T-251/01 and T-252/01, Tokai Carbon, 2004 E.C.R. II—1181.Google Scholar

³¹ Joined Cases C-204/00 P, C-205/00 P, C-211/00 P, C-213/00 P, C-217/00 P and C-219/00 P, Aalborg Portland, 2004 E.C.R. I-123, para. 338.Google Scholar

³² Opinion of Advocate General Ruiz-Jarabo Colomer at para. 91, Case C-213/00 P, Italcementi—Fabbriche Riunite Cemento, (Jan. 7, 2004), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?language=en&num=C-213/00%20P.Google Scholar

³³ Opinion of Advocate General Sharpston, Case C–467/04, Gasparini and Others, 2006 E.C.R. I-9203, para. 92.Google Scholar

³⁴ Id. at para. 103.Google Scholar

³⁵ Id. at para. 157.Google Scholar

³⁶ Opinion of Advocate General Kokott at para. 118, Case C-17/10, Toshiba Corporation and Others (Sep. 8, 2011), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/celex.jsf?celex=62010CC0017&lang1=en&type=TXT&ancre= Google Scholar

³⁷ Id. at paras. 130–31.Google Scholar

³⁸ Case C-17/10, Toshiba Corporation and others (Feb. 14, 2012). AG Kokott confirmed her ideas in Opinion of Advocate General Kokott at para. 80, Case C-489/10, Bonda (June 5, 2012), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/recherche.jsf?language=en but the CJEU did not give any useful answer on the topic. See Andreangeli, Arianna, Ne bis in idem and administrative sanctions, 50 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 1827 (2013).Google Scholar

³⁹ See also Opinion of Advocate General Cruz Villalón, Case C-617/10, Åkerberg Fransson (June 12, 2012), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/celex.jsf?celex=62010CC0617&lang1=en&type=TXT&ancre= which represents a useful guide to the case law of the CJEU and the ECtHR.Google Scholar

⁴⁰ Pursuant to which,Google Scholar

⁴¹ Gradinger v. Austria, App. No. 15963/90, paras. 54–55 (Oct. 23, 1995).Google Scholar

⁴² Oliveira v. Svizzera, App. No. 25711/94, para. 26 (July 30, 1998).Google Scholar

⁴³ Franz Fischer v. Austria, App. No. 37950/97, para. 25 (May 29, 2001).Google Scholar

⁴⁴ Sailer v. Austria, App. No. 38237/97 (June 6, 2002).Google Scholar

⁴⁵ See Göktan v. France, App. No. 33402/96 (July 2, 2002). See also Gauthier v. France, App. No. 61178/00 (June 24, 2003).Google Scholar

⁴⁶ Zolotukhin v. Russia, App. No. 14939/03, para. 78 (Feb. 10, 2009).Google Scholar

⁴⁷ Id. at para. 80.Google Scholar

⁴⁸ Id. at para. 81.Google Scholar

⁴⁹ Id. at para. 84.Google Scholar

⁵⁰ The interpretation given in Zolotukhin was later applied in Grande Stevens and Others v. Italy, App. No. 18640/10, 18647/10, 18663/10, 18668/10 and 18698/10 (Mar. 4, 2014).Google Scholar

⁵¹ See generally Mitsilegas, Valsamis, EU Criminal Law (2009); Ester Herlin-Karnell, The Constitutional Dimension of European Criminal Law (2012); André Klip, European Criminal Law: An Integrative Approach (2012).Google Scholar

⁵² See Bas van Bockel, Case C-436/04, Criminal Proceedings against Léopold Henri Van Esbroeck, Case C-150/05, Jean Leon Van Straaten v. Netherlands and Italy, Case C-467/04, Criminal proceedings against G. Francesco Gasparini, José Ma L.A. Gasparini, G. Costa Bozzo, Juan de Lucchi Calcagno, Francesco Mario Gasparini, José A. Hormiga Marrero, Sindicatura Quiebra, 45 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 223 (2008).Google Scholar

⁵³ See, e.g., Limburgse Vinyl Maatschappij and Others v. Commission case. For a review, see Wesseling, Rein, Joined Cases C-238/99 P, C-244/99 P, C-245/99 P, C-247/99 P, C-250/99 P to C-252/99 P and C-254/99 P, Limburgse Vinyl Maatschappij NV (LVM) and Others v. Commission, 41 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 1141 (2004).Google Scholar

⁵⁴ On Article 52 of the Charter, see Lenaerts, Koen, Exploring the Limits of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, 8 European Constitutional Law Review 375 (2012). On the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in general, see The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights as a Binding Instrument: Five Years Old and Growing (Sybe de Vries et al. eds., 2015); Making the Charter of Fundamental Rights a Living Instruments (G. Palmisano ed., 2014); The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: A Commentary (S. Peers et al. eds., 2014).Google Scholar

⁵⁵ See generally Case C-390/12, Pfleger and Others (Apr. 30, 2014), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-390/12; Case C-398/12, M., (June 5, 2014), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-398/12&language=EN; and Case C-129/14 PPU, Spasic (May 27, 2014), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/documents.jsf?num=C-129/14. For a review, see John A. E. Vervaele, Schengen and Charter-related ne bis in idem protection in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice: M and Zoran Spasic, 52 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 1339 (2015). On the topic of harmonization, see Wasmeier, Martin, Ne bis in idem and the Enforcement Condition: Balancing Freedom, Security and Justice?, 5 New J. Euro. Crim. L. 534 (2014).Google Scholar

⁵⁶ In light of the above, this author must challenge the wording of Article 50 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which states that no one shall be liable to be tried or punished again in criminal proceedings “for an offence” (emphasis added) for which he or she has already been finally acquitted or convicted within the Union in accordance with the law. The word “offence” poses a problem since it seems to recall the legal characterization of the act rather than the act as an historical event. The Explanations relating to the Charter do not let overcome the issue since they make reference to both the antitrust case law and Gözütok and Brügge as if the CJEU ruled the same way: Actually, the concept of offense is more linked to the first interpretation rather than the second one. Therefore, it would be more correct to speak of an act rather than an offense, as this may be a harbinger of problems. A rewording would be welcome but it seems to presuppose a revirement in the CJEU antitrust case law.Google Scholar

⁵⁷ Opinion of Advocate General Tizzano at paras. 95–96, Case C-397/03 P, Archer Daniels Midland and Archer Daniels Midland Ingredients (June 7, 2005), http://curia.europa.eu/juris/recherche.jsf?language=en.Google Scholar

⁵⁸ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Dec. 16, 1966, S. Exec. Rep. 102–23, 999 U.N.T.S. 171.Google Scholar

⁵⁹ American Convention on Human Rights, Nov. 21, 1969, 1144 U.N.T.S. 143.Google Scholar

⁶⁰ See Loayza-Tamayo v. Peru, Merits Judgment, Inter-Am. Ct. H.R. (ser. C) No. 33, para. 66 (Sept. 17, 1997).Google Scholar

⁶¹ Model Treaty on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters, adopted Dec. 14, 1990 A/RES/45/118.Google Scholar

⁶² European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgements, adopted May 28, 1970. The Convention has been signed by 28 States and ratified by 22.Google Scholar

⁶³ European Convention on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters, adopted May 15, 1972. The Convention has been signed by 32 States and ratified by 25.Google Scholar

⁶⁴ Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, adopted July 17, 1998.Google Scholar

⁶⁵ Agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone and Statute of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, adopted Jan. 16, 2002.Google Scholar

⁶⁶ Council Act of July 26, 1995, Drawing Up the Convention on the Protection of the European Communities' Financial Interests, 1995 O.J. C 316/48.Google Scholar

⁶⁷ Council Act of May 26, 1997, Drawing Up the Convention Made on the Basis of Article K.3(2)(c) of the Treaty on the European Union, on the Fight Against Corruption Involving Officials of the European Communities of Officials of Member States of the European Union, 1997 O.J. C 195/2.Google Scholar

⁶⁸ Convention between the Member States of the European Communities on double jeopardy, adopted May 25, 1987. The Convention never came into force, even if it applied to the relations between Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal.Google Scholar

⁶⁹ Council Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA of Nov. 27, 2008, on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to judgments in criminal matters imposing custodial sentences or measures involving deprivation of liberty for the purpose of their enforcement in the European Union, 2008 O.J. L 327/27.Google Scholar

⁷⁰ Council Framework Decision 2009/948/JHA of 30 November 2009 on prevention and settlement of conflicts of exercise of jurisdiction in criminal proceedings, 2009 O.J. L 328/42. Because the third paragraph of the Whereas section recalls the ne bis in idem principle as set out in Article 54 CISA, one may think that the case law concerning that article is recalled as well.Google Scholar

⁷¹ Green Paper on conflicts of jurisdiction and the principle of ne bis in idem in criminal proceedings, COM(2005) 696 (not published in the O.J.).Google Scholar

⁷² See also the Initiative of the Hellenic Republic with a view to adopting a Council Framework Decision concerning the application of the “ne bis in idem” principle, 2003 O.J. C 100/24. For a review, see Amalfitano, Chiara, La risoluzione dei conflitti di giurisdizione in materia penale nell'Unione europea, 15 Diritto Penale e Processo 1293 (2009).Google Scholar

⁷³ Novella Galantini, Una nuova dimensione per il ne bis in idem internazionale, 44 Cassazione Penale 3474 (2004) implies from that statement that the ne bis in idem should become a principle of custom international law in a short time. See also Faustin Hélie, Traité de l'instruction criminelle 656 (1866); Henri Donnedieu de Vabres, Le Principes Modernes du Droit Pénal International 311 (1928); Gerard Conway, Ne bis in idem in International Law, 3 Int'l Crim. L. Rev. 217 (2003).Google Scholar

⁷⁴ See Corte Costituzionale Italiana [Italian Constitutional Court], Apr. 12, 1967, http://www.cortecostituzionale.it/actionSchedaPronuncia.do?param_ecli=ECLI:IT:COST:1967:48; see also Corte costituzionale italiana [Italian Constitutional Court] Mar. 25, 1976, http://www.cortecostituzionale.it/actionSchedaPronuncia.do?param_ecli=ECLI:IT:COST:1976:69.Google Scholar

⁷⁵ See Corte costituzionale italiana [Italian Constitutional Court], Apr. 14, 1997, http://www.giurcost.org/decisioni/1997/0058s-97.htm.Google Scholar

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⁷⁷ Asylum case (Colombia v. Peru) (Merits) 1950 I.C.J. 6 (Nov. 20).Google Scholar

⁷⁸ See Anthony A. D'Amato, The Concept of Special Custom in International Law, 63 AJIL 211–223 (1969); Benedetto Conforti, Diritto internazionale 45 (2014); James Crawford, BROWNLIE'S Principles of Public International Law 29–30 (2012). John A. E. Vervaele, Ne Bis In Idem: Towards a Transnational Constitutional Principle in the EU?, 9 Utrecht L. Rev. (2013) available at http://www.utrechtlawreview.org> (last visited Nov. 7, 2015). This confirmed that ne bis in idem is not yet a principle of customary international law because it is regionalizing in the EU, but not globalizing, and that substantiates the idea that ne bis in idem may be seen only as a regional custom.Google Scholar

⁷⁹ Bruno de Witte, EU Law: Is It International Law?, in European Union law 192 (Catherine Barnard & Steve Peers eds., 2014). On the topic, see Hartley, Trevor C., International Law and the Law of the European Union, 72 Brit. Y.B. Int'l L. 1 (2001); The Worlds of European Constitutionalism (Gráinne de Búrca & Joseph H. H. Weiler eds., 2011); The EU's Role in Global Governance: The Legal Dimension (Bart Van Vooren et al. eds., 2013).Google Scholar

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⁸¹ For an introduction to this topic, see L. Neville Brown & Tom Kennedy, The Court of Justice of the European Communities (2000); The European Court of Justice (Gráinne de Búrca & Joseph H. H. Weiler eds., 2001); Anthony Arnull, The European Union and its Court of Justice (2006); Takis Tridimas, The European Court of Justice and the EU Constitutional Order (2009).Google Scholar

⁸² For an introduction to the topic, see Koen Lenaerts et al., Procedural Law of the European Union (2006), Koen Lenaerts et al., EU Procedural Law (2014).Google Scholar

⁸³ Case C-327/91, France v. Commission, 1994 E.C.R. I-3641, para. 36, Avis 1/94, Competence of the Community to conclude international agreements concerning services and the protection of intellectual property, 1994 E.C.R. I-5389, paras. 52, 61. That is what the CJEU ruled with regard to the European Community Treaty, which was characterized by the so-called Community method. In light of the Treaty of Lisbon and the communitarisation of the third pillar, that reasoning may now apply to the EU legal framework as a whole, with the only exception being the Common Foreign and Security Policy, which is instead characterized by the so-called intergovernmental method. In this case, the practice of Member States still prevails. For more on this topic, see Hoffmeister, Frank, The Contribution of EU Practice to International Law, in Developments in EU External Relations Law 56–57 (Marise Cremona ed., 2008).Google Scholar

⁸⁴ See, e.g., the abovementioned Grande Stevens and Others case.Google Scholar

⁸⁵ See, e.g., the abovementioned Spasic case.Google Scholar

⁸⁶ See generally Andreangeli, Arianna, EU Competition Enforcement and Human Rights (2008); Marco Bronckers & Anne Vallery, No Longer Presumed Guilty: The Impact of Fundamental Rights on Certain Dogmas of EU Competition Law, 34 World Competition 535 (2011); Mel Marquis, Roberto Cisotta, Litigation and Arbitration in EU Competition Law 144 (2015).Google Scholar