Article 2Scope
1.This Directive applies to children who are suspects or accused persons in criminal proceedings. It applies until the final determination of the question whether the suspect or accused person has committed a criminal offence, including, where applicable, sentencing and the resolution of any appeal.
2.This Directive applies to children who are requested persons from the time of their arrest in the executing Member State, in accordance with Article 17.
3.With the exception of Article 5, point (b) of Article 8(3), and Article 15, insofar as those provisions refer to a holder of parental responsibility, this Directive, or certain provisions thereof, applies to persons as referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article, where such persons were children when they became subject to the proceedings but have subsequently reached the age of 18, and the application of this Directive, or certain provisions thereof, is appropriate in the light of all the circumstances of the case, including the maturity and vulnerability of the person concerned. Member States may decide not to apply this Directive when the person concerned has reached the age of 21.
4.This Directive applies to children who were not initially suspects or accused persons but become suspects or accused persons in the course of questioning by the police or by another law enforcement authority.
5.This Directive does not affect national rules determining the age of criminal responsibility.
6.Without prejudice to the right to a fair trial, in respect of minor offences:
(a)where the law of a Member State provides for the imposition of a sanction by an authority other than a court having jurisdiction in criminal matters, and the imposition of such a sanction may be appealed or referred to such a court; or
(b)where deprivation of liberty cannot be imposed as a sanction,
this Directive shall only apply to the proceedings before a court having jurisdiction in criminal matters.
In any event, this Directive shall fully apply where the child is deprived of liberty, irrespective of the stage of the criminal proceedings.