In search of the role of punishment from the EU criminal law perspective

Abstract

This paper deals with punishment in the context of EU criminal law. Its aim is to search for the role of punishment in the area of European criminal justice, focussing on EU legislation and the case law of the Luxembourg and Strasbourg Courts. The methods used are analysis, synthesis and comparative research. The findings lead to the conclusion that, first of all, the priority behind punishment should be the rehabilitation of an offender, followed by their reintegration into society, and not the severity of imposing a long prison sentence itself. Additionally, a life sentence seems unacceptable without the possibility of conditional release or clemency, as it would be contrary to the European standards of protecting human rights. The role of punishment within the EU is therefore strongly influenced by a human rights-based approach in line with the provisions of the CFR and the ECHR.