Ellen Vandennieuwenhuysen

Within the EU, two Framework Decisions have been adopted to increase the chances of social rehabilitation of sentenced persons through the transfer of the enforcement of sentences to another Member State. The older Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant contains some mechanisms to strengthen the social rehabilitation of sentenced persons as well. First, this article examines who can benefit from these possibilities and highlights the importance of residence and EU nationality. It further explores whether these persons have an enforceable right to rehabilitation or a right to transfer for the purpose of rehabilitation. Even though this does not seem to be the case, they do have a right not to be transferred if the transfer does not facilitate rehabilitation. However, this right proves particularly difficult to enforce, especially given the possibility for states to expel foreigners. This paper claims that without further limitations on expulsions by states, or without givi...