This book provides the first structured and detailed examination of what exactly mutual trust is in EU criminal law, drawing on comparative examples and studies from the broader social sciences to ensure a rigorous examination.

This book develops a conceptual framework of the principle of mutual trust in EU criminal law. Mutual trust is a household term in the EU criminal law vocabulary and is widely regarded to be a prerequisite for a successful application of mutual recognition. But despite its importance, the parameters of the concept are not clear. The book demonstrates that mutual trust is multi-faceted: combining the elements essential to a successful EU criminal law, as part of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. The book approaches trust from multiple angles. First, a study of social science literature. Second, a meticulous assessment of mutual trust in EU criminal law. Third, a study of trust in US interstate criminal justice cooperation. Finally, the book identifies a comprehensive approach to tackle trust related difficulties in EU criminal law. This timely book will be of great interest to anyone looking to gain a full picture of this core principle in EU criminal law.

"The Principle of Mutual Trust in EU Criminal Law is very timely piece of scholarship, one which adopts a novel approach vis-à-vis the understanding of trust in EU criminal law. While most previous work on mutual trust in EU criminal law has concentrated on EU case law, Willems gives us a theoretical baseline for how to understand trust, one which includes both interdisciplinary and comparative perspectives that are both new, legally sound as well as entertaining to read. It is a very well-researched and well-written book, which will be of use and of great interest to both academics, LLM students as well as to policy makers." - European Law Review