US-German Crime Cooperation

CK - Washington.   The German government approved a set of mutual cooperation and legal assistance agreements with the United States in a bill that implements bilateral agreements and E.U. agreements with the United States. The German text includes the agreements as well as explanatory notes and notes verbales. The subject matter ranges from extradition and judicial assistance under 2003 bilaterals to 2006 supplementary bilaterals on mutual cooperation and extradition and the E.U. agreement with the United States of June 25, 2003. The Berlin Justice Department provides introductory notes in a press release of December 13, 2006. In extradition matters, the new arrangements are set to improve the protection of data over the prior situation under the 1978 extradition agreement. The update also reinforces the German--and nearly world-wide--position that extradition requests will not be honored in cases where capital punishment may be imposed. German American Law Journal :: Washington USA