La cooperazione giudiziaria in rete nello spazio di liberta', sicurezza e giustizia

This thesis deals with the legal analysis of the network-based model of cooperation between national authorities of the EU Member States within the Area of Freedom Security and Justice †" AFSJ. The aim is to evaluate the contribution and the potential of such a model. The dissertation is divided into two parts, which are preceded by an introductory section dealing with the analysis of the notion of network and its legal value. With a view to provide a deeper understanding of this phenomenon, the first part intends to portray the emergence of networking between judicial and law enforcement authorities. In this part, also the driving factors (both legal and structure-related), which have triggered such a process are highlighted. In particular, attention is paid to both the legal instruments applying the principle of mutual recognition and those applying the principle of availability. The rationale is to identify the obstacles hindering the effective implementation of the cooperation procedures and to understand the role played by networks in this respect. The second part of the dissertation analyses the main networks operating in the justice and security fields, with a special focus on the features characterizing these flexible arrangements and their methods of operation. The dissertation is divided into two parts reviewing a) networks supporting the effective application of both the mutual assistance procedures and the legal instruments implementing the principle of mutual recognition and b) networks dealing with the informative cooperation, ensuring a faster exchange of law enforcement information across national borders. Special attention is paid to networks dealing with the economic dimension of crime. Finally, the main features of a “European network model of cooperation” are identified as well as the role played by such a model in respect to the exercise of the EU competences in the AFSJ.