Chapter II: Provisions specific to mutual assistance between France and the other Member States of the European Union

The investigation decision shall be executed in accordance with the formalities and procedures expressly indicated by the issuing authority, unless the law provides otherwise and provided, on pain of nullity, that these rules do not reduce the rights of the parties and the procedural guarantees applying the fundamental principles provided for in the preliminary article of this code.

The investigation decision shall be executed as soon as possible and at the latest within ninety days of the date of the decision provided for in Article 694-35. If special circumstances justify an extension of this period, the issuing authority is immediately informed, together with the reasons for the extension and the foreseeable date of execution of the investigation decision. The investigating magistrate may decide to postpone the execution of…

Where the investigative measure requested is not provided for in this Code or where it could not be carried out under a similar national procedure, the magistrate hearing the case shall, wherever possible, have recourse to any other investigative measure that makes it possible to obtain the information requested by the issuing authority. However, subject to the provisions of Article 694-31 and Article 694-34, it must always grant the requests…

The judge hearing the case may refuse the assistance of the authorities of the issuing State in the execution of the investigation decision on national territory only if it appears likely to reduce the rights of the parties and the procedural guarantees applying the fundamental principles provided for in the preliminary article or likely to harm the fundamental interests of the Nation.

If, in the course of executing the investigation decision, the investigating magistrate deems it appropriate to initiate investigative measures not initially planned or which could not be specified when the European investigation decision was issued, he or she shall inform the issuing authority without delay so that it can request new measures if necessary.

Where measures executed on national territory pursuant to a European Investigation Order could, if they had been executed in the context of a national procedure, have been the subject of a challenge, an application for a declaration of nullity or any other form of appeal pursuant to the provisions of this Code, such appeals may, under the same conditions and in accordance with the same procedures, be lodged against these…

The reports, objects seized and any other evidence gathered in execution of the investigation decision shall be handed over to the issuing authority as soon as possible. The magistrate hearing the case may decide to suspend such handover pending a decision on the appeal lodged against an act implementing the investigation decision, unless there are sufficient grounds for considering that immediate handover is essential for the proper conduct of the…