Follow-up report on the International Co-operation Unit

Academy of European Law (known as ERA)
A non-profit public foundation based in Trier in Germany that provides training in European Law to legal practitioners. It includes most EU members and is supported by the EU. It organises conferences and seminars around Europe.

Band G Legal Manager
Senior legal manager in COPFS.

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)
The independent public prosecution service in Scotland. It is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of crime in Scotland. It is also responsible for the investigation of sudden, unexplained or suspicious deaths and the investigation of allegations of criminal conduct against police officers.

COPFS Federation Structure
COPFS is organised into four Federations - three geographical Federations - East, West and North - and a National Federation comprising of a number of specialist units.

Domestic Warrant
A document from the court enabling the police to arrest a person in Scotland accused or convicted of a crime.

Eurojust
An agency of the European Union (EU) dealing with judicial co‑operation in criminal matters to improve the fight against serious crime by facilitating co‑ordination of action for investigations and prosecutions across more than one member state. It is composed of national prosecutors, magistrates, or police officers of equivalent competence, detached from each Member State according to their own legal systems. The seat of Eurojust is in The Hague.

European Arrest Warrant (EAW)
A document from the court enabling the police to arrest a person in the EU accused or convicted of a crime.

European Judicial Network (EJN)
A network of national contact points for the facilitation of judicial co-operation in criminal matters between the member states of the European Union.

European Union (EU)
An economic and political partnership between 28 European countries.

Extradition
The action of handing over a person accused or convicted of a crime at the request of another jurisdiction to that jurisdiction or where a person is returned at the UK's request to stand trial or serve a custodial sentence.

Fiscal Officers
Administrative officers.

Forum
The level at which the case is to be prosecuted with more serious offences (solemn proceedings) being heard by a jury and less serious offences (summary proceedings) heard by a single judge.

High Court Forum
A formal discussion group in COPFS dealing with issues specific to High Court work.

HMRC
HM Revenue and Customs.

ICU Live
Electronic system used in COPFS International Co-operation Unit to record the unit's cases and case information.

International Assistance Unit (IAU)
Part of the National Intelligence Bureau of Police Scotland responsible for the handing over of a person accused or convicted of a crime to the jurisdiction of the foreign state in which the crime was committed.

International Co‑operation Resource Deputes (ICRD)
Legally qualified prosecutors who are the initial point of contact for Mutual Legal Assistance.

International Co‑operation Unit (ICU)
The International Co-operation Unit of COPFS functions as the central authority in Scotland for all aspects of international criminal co‑operation.

International Warrant
A document from the court allowing the police to arrest a person in countries not within the EU alleged to have committed a criminal offence or having been convicted to be sentenced.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
A type of performance measurement.

Knowledge Bank
COPFS information database containing legal and non-legal guidance.

Law Officers
The Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland.

Lord Advocate
The Ministerial Head of COPFS. He is the senior of the two Law Officers, the other being the Solicitor General

Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA)
A formal process by which countries request and provide assistance in obtaining evidence located in one country to assist in criminal investigations or proceedings in another country.

Procurators Fiscal (PFs)
Legally qualified prosecutors who receive reports about crimes from the police and other agencies and make decisions on what action to take in the public interest and where appropriate prosecute cases. They also look into deaths that require further explanation and where appropriate conduct Fatal Accident Inquiries and investigate criminal complaints against the police.

PROMIS
(Acronym for Prosecutor's Management Information System). COPFS computer‑based case-tracking and management system.

Serious and Organised Crime Division (SOCD)
SOCD was set up in 2011 to prioritise the prosecution of serious crime and the recovery of assets from those involved in criminal activity. It works closely with COPFS Federations and law enforcement to adopt a more strategic approach to the prosecution of serious and organised crime.

Solicitor General
The Solicitor General for Scotland is the Lord Advocate's deputy. She is also a Minister of the Scottish Government.

Trainee
A trainee solicitor.

Wiki Page
Information contained on a page of the COPFS internal website.