Current Issues in Justice and Home Affairs Cooperation between EU Member States Pertaining to Forensic Services and Investigative Operations

Abstract

The paper discusses the EU's decision to establish the first supranational law enforcement body – the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) – and further articulates the notion of “supranationalism”. The author argues for the need to develop a strategic plan for interaction between the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation and the EPPO to ensure effective oversight over the practice of forensic science and criminalistics, lawfulness of the actions of preliminary investigation units conducting forensic and search operations, and the use of specialized knowledge in transnational crime prevention, detection and response. Adoption of an updated strategy for international cooperation in this field has prompted national jurisdictions to place greater emphasis on the issues of the expert's initiative, proactive forensics, and predictive forensics.