Summary Part 1: Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters
5.Part 1 largely replaces the UK’s mutual legal assistance legislation, contained in Part 1 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990, which enabled the UK to request and provide assistance to all countries. It implements the mutual legal assistance provisions of the Schengen Implementing Convention of 14th June 1985 (the “Schengen Convention”), the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters 2000 (the “MLAC”), and the evidence-freezing provisions of the 2003 Framework Decision on the execution in the European Union of orders freezing property or evidence adopted by the Council of the European Union on 22nd July 2003 (the “2003 Framework Decision”). Chapter 4 of Part 1 implements the 2001 Protocol to the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (the “2001 Protocol”) which creates obligations for participating countries to respond to requests for assistance with locating banking accounts and to provide banking information relating to criminal investigations.