EU concerned by obstacles to speedy extraditions

BRUSSELS, July 11 (Reuters) The European Union's justice chief today criticised Britain, Italy and a number of other EU states for not properly implementing the bloc's accelerated extradition procedure.

The European arrest warrant, a key part of the 27-nation bloc's efforts to fight organised crime and terrorism, requires EU states to automatically hand over suspects in 32 categories of major crimes to another member state within 60 days.

''I am concerned that a number of member states are trying, step by step, to reintroduce measures to control the substance (of a) European arrest warrant ... which should not happen,'' EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said.

In a report evaluating the implementation of the speedy extradition procedure adopted to replace tortuous procedures that often lasted years, the EU executive Commission said Britain, Italy, Ireland, Poland, the Netherlands, and seven other EU states were not properly implementing the procedure.

''Time limits are far from being respected by Britain,'' the report said, adding London had also introduced a number of conditions not foreseen by the EU text and almost systematically asked for further information when asked to extradite a suspect.

Frattini said he did not want to target countries such as Britain and Ireland, also responsible for delays, but added they should understand it is in their interest to have terrorism suspects sent quickly to a country investigating a case.

Some EU states are reluctant to extradite their own nationals, or have introduced checks and conditions not compatible with the EU legislation, the report said.

Italy refuses to extradite any Italian who is not aware of having broken the law, pregnant women or when the country asking for the extradition has no limits on pre-trial detention, the Commission said.

The EU agreed on the European arrest warrant after the Sept.

11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

The Commission said that despite these difficulties the new new extradition procedure was overall a success, with more than 1,500 suspects sent to another EU state in 2005.

REUTERS SBC RK2240