COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 21 June 1999

concerning a handbook for international police cooperation and measures to prevent and control violence and disturbances in connection with international football matches

(1999/C 196/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Whereas:

(1) the European Union's objective is, inter alia, to provide citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice by developing common action among the Member States in the field of police cooperation;

(2) on 9 June 1997 the Council adopted a resolution on preventing and restraining football hooliganism through the exchange of experience, exclusion from stadiums and media policy(1);

(3) in the framework of the Council of Europe, the Convention of 19 August 1985 has been concluded on spectator violence and misbehaviour at sports events and in particular at football matches;

(4) it is necessary to make further efforts to control football hooliganism on the basis of experience in recent years, in particular at the 1996 European Football Championships and the 1998 World Cup Football Championships, and the findings of the evaluation of previous measures made by police experts at the Netherlands' instigation;

(5) it is of the utmost importance to establish a European framework for police forces in the Member States as regards the content and scope of police cooperation, police relations with the media, cooperation with those supervising fans and stadium admission policy;

(6) there is a considerable need to set down the European framework referred to above in a handbook for police forces;

(7) without prejudice to existing national provisions and to the exercise by the European Commission of its powers under the Treaty establishing the European Community,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

1. The Council requests Member States to step up cooperation, in particular practical cooperation between police forces, in order to prevent and control violence and disturbances in connection with international football matches.

2. To that end, the annexed handbook is hereby made available, as examples of working methods, to police forces. The relevant Council working party is requested to propose amendments to this handbook in future, as necessary, in the light of up-to-date experience.

(1) OJ C 193, 24.6.1997, p. 1.

ANNEX

Handbook for international police cooperation and measures to prevent and control violence and disturbances in connection with international football matches, in which at least one Member State is involved either by participation in the match and/or by hosting the match

Contents of the handbook:

1. Preparations by police forces

Organising authorities and police forces should involve police forces from participating countries in preparations, at an early stage.

2. Organising cooperation between police forces

Organising authorities and police forces should take into account requirements for the organisation of international police cooperation.

3. Information management by police forces

Organising authorities and police forces should take into account the requirements of police information management.

4. Cooperation between police forces and stewards

Organising authorities and police forces should bring in those supervising fans from participating football associations to assist in the job to be done and establish maximum cooperation with them.

5. Checklist for media policy and communication strategy (police/authorities) relating to major (international) championships and matches

Police forces should make use of the media policy checklist.

6. Requirements for admission policy and ticketing policy

Organising authorities should take into account the set of requirements for organisers in the area of admission policy, in particular in ticketing policy, ticket control and separation of rival groups of fans.

7. List of documents previously adopted by the Council of the European Union

A list of decisions previously taken by the Council will give an idea of the measures taken hitherto.

CHAPTER 1

Preparations by police forces

- The formal request for support should come from the Minister responsible in the organising country, who will receive advice from the police forces concerned. Taking into account the specific aims of cooperation, the request should mention the scale and composition of support,

- The request for support should be made to the foreign police force well in advance of a championship and/or match. The supporting foreign police team will require at least eight weeks' preparation time,

- The police forces of organising countries should only request foreign police support from countries that can contribute added value,

- International police cooperation is geared to ensuring the safety of the event, with the following specific aims:

1. intelligence gathering;

2. reconnaissance;

3. spotting;

4. crowd control under police supervision,

- The police forces from the supporting countries are responsible for providing an advance risk analysis, including profile descriptions of visiting fans and a description of the prototype risk fan from their countries. The reports will be continually updated. The national football hooliganism contacts in the various countries will coordinate the provision of information to the police force of the organising country,

- In the first instance, a risk analysis of the fan group from the country concerned will determine which of the four areas of police cooperation mentioned in the fourth indent is to be requested by the police force of the organising country,

- The foreign police force will indicate the extent to which it can meet the request to provide support for the police force of the organising country. The scale of the foreign police team will then be determined in consultation,

- The size of the police team will therefore not be the same for all countries, but will relate to some extent to the threat and risk posed by fans from the country concerned and to practicalities,

- Depending on the nature of the support to be provided and the size of the team, a foreign police team could be responsible for the following duties:

1. operational police officers with reconnaissance, spotting or escorting duties;

2. an operations coordinator with the task of coordinating the work of the operational police officers and channelling information;

3. a spokesman;

4. a liaison officer responsible in particular for the exchange of information between that officer's home country and the host country. In view of the differing expertise involved in the areas of public order, violent football hooliganism and terrorism, the national liaison officer could propose that the host country agree to the stationing of a second liaison officer at the host country's coordination centre;

5. a leader, who is functionally and hierarchically in charge of a team; if, however, there is a national police coordination centre, the leader is only the liaison officer's hierarchical superior; functional responsibility for the liaison officer then rests with the head of the coordination centre,

- The police force(s) in the organising country should provide an opportunity for the supporting foreign police force(s) to acquaint themselves with the organisation of police operations in the host country and/or the venue town(s) and with stadium location, as well as to get to know the operational commander(s) at the venue town(s) on the match day(s).

CHAPTER 2

Organising cooperation between police forces

- The quality of action by the police in a host country will be improved if they obtain police support from the countries from which violent supporters come,

- Maximum use should be made of the support that foreign police forces can supply, which will thus form part of the host police organisation's tactical plan,

- The leader of the police team from the supporting country will, if desired, have his own spokesman. The leader of the police team will determine the position of that spokesman,

- The spokesman assigned to a support team should shield the members of the support team from the media, if appropriate,

- The host police organisation should ensure the physical safety of supporting foreign police officers,

- The police force of the organising country, in consultation with the football organisers, should ensure that the supporting foreign police team has sufficient accreditation (seating not required) to enable the team to carry out its tasks properly in and around the stadiums for matches that involve members of the police team in question,

- The police forces of the country from which the fans come should supervise risk fans from the start of their journey until they reach the country where the match is to be played. Responsibility will be duly transferred between police forces at national borders (including transport and railway police),

- The host police organisation should assign the police team from the supporting country at least one accompanying police officer with sufficient language knowledge and proficiency to maintain operational contact with the team and make reports,

- The police forces of the organising country should have available sufficient interpreters for the languages spoken by fans from visiting countries. This will relieve supporting police teams from the various countries of having to do too much interpreting, which would keep them from actual operational tasks,

- The host police organisation should provide the police team from the supporting country with the necessary communications equipment,

- The police team from the supporting country should consult with the police force of the organising country about the equipment to be brought by the police team and the use made of it.

CHAPTER 3

Information management by police forces

- The police forces of the organising country should ensure that lines of communication and information facilities are clear to supporting foreign police forces, taking into account the nature of information, whether relating to terrorism, individual criminal records (for offenders), public order or violent football hooliganism,

- The police force of the organising country should communicate with the national police force(s) of the participating country or countries throughout the championship and/or match via the liaison officer appointed and supplied by the country in question. The liaison officer can be approached in the areas of public order, violent football hooliganism and terrorism,

- The police force of the organising country should shield the liaison officer of the supporting foreign police force from any contact with the media, if the liaison officer so wishes,

- The liaison officer should be stationed at the national coordination centre for championships spread over a number of days and at the local coordination centre for one-off matches in the host country concerned,

- The liaison officer of the supporting country is responsible for continually updating risk analysis,

- The liaison officer of the supporting country should be kept up to date by the police force in his own country about fan behaviour there during championships or matches,

- The police force of the organising country should make arrangements to channel information received from the foreign police team promptly to the proper authorities within its own police organisation. The police force of the organising country should appoint an information officer to be attached to the support team responsible for reconnaissance or spotting. That officer should serve as a contact for the team leader and be responsible for the proper channelling of information,

- The police forces of the organising country should ensure that there are no differences in the quality of information available at local and national level,

- If there are national and local police coordination centres, the local and national centres should keep one another informed. This information flow should take into account information provided by the liaison officer from the supporting country,

- When fans are returning home, the national coordination centre in the organising country will inform the police force of the fans' home country, along with the police forces of transit countries, if there is any reason to anticipate trouble, In the absence of a national coordination centre, the local coordination centre should fulfil this function.

CHAPTER 4

Cooperation between police forces and stewards

- Police forces and stewards' organisations should work together on a complementary basis, without prejudice to each side's own responsibilities and tasks,

- Police forces should work with senior officials from stewards' organisations,

- Police forces should consider placing a senior official from the stewards' organisation in their own command centre,

- Police forces should ensure that any information from the stewards' organisation is channelled to the proper police authorities in the organising country,

- Police forces should ensure that senior officials from the stewards' organisation have the information needed to carry out their tasks,

- The police forces of the supporting country should maintain contact with senior officials responsible for stewards from their country who are providing support to the organising country.

CHAPTER 5

Checklist for media policy and communication strategy (police/authorities) relating to major (international) championships and matches

I. MEDIA POLICY

1. Determining the strategic aim of media policy

The central aim is seen as that of ensuring police/authorities' cooperation with the media in informing the public at national and international level of forthcoming championships and preparations as well as providing those attending matches with appropriate police advice concerning their security.

Media policy is one of the instruments used in a communication strategy. It should demonstrate the supportive role played by the police and authorities in watching over the festive nature of championships.

Comment:

In order to ensure a balanced media policy, it is first necessary to determine the strategic aim. All further policy developments are geared to achieving that aim. Account must be taken of the interest of the media in specific information, such as the response by police/authorities to the problems of football hooliganism and violence. This clearly signals what will and will not be tolerated.

2. Determining the desired results of media policy

An active media policy should aim at:

- a positive image, in the eyes of the public, of the policy pursued by police and authorities,

- encouraging amenities for and a sporting attitude on the part of those attending matches,

- discouraging misbehaviour by those attending: misbehaviour does not pay,

- providing security information,

- informing the public of police measures and the steps which will be taken in the case of disturbances.

Comment:

Media policy should never give the impression that nothing can go wrong, but rather show that there has been proper preparation and that there are no grounds for panic.

3. Nature of media policy

- it should convey the idea of overall control,

- it shall suggest security and trust,

- it should make it clear that football hooliganism will be severely dealt with,

- it should be geared to openness and transparency.

II. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

1. Method of achieving the aim

- relations should be established with the media well in advance, focusing on championships or matches,

- cooperation between the press services of police, local authorities, national authorities, football organisations, UEFA, FIFA etc., in communicating an unambiguous policy or view of individual areas of responsibility,

- making provision for police information to be provided to all those concerned, including the football association, supporters' clubs, tourist offices, carriers and other undertakings,

- information folder for those attending from abroad, possibly combined with other tourist information,

- setting up a clearly identified press office for the duration of championships, with press officers and media spokesmen,

- daily press conferences and provision for interviews and other appropriate information facilities during championships,

- organisation of press conferences before championships in order to make clear the approach to cooperation with the press.

2. Means of achieving the aim/tips for success

- appointment of professional press correspondents at local, regional and central level,

- multilingual police press officers available to the media in the press centre,

- production of a national or bi-national information folder,

- production of information with a local slant,

- inclusion of reports on security and facilities in local tourist-office publications and other local newspapers and publications,

- making known the number of arrests for public disorder, such as possession of weapons, forged admission tickets, black-market ticket sales and drunkenness,

- assessment of international, national and local media press reports relating to the preparation and progress of championships,

- setting up a national working party on media policy cooperation.

3. Important topics for consideration

1. The nub of the message must be established.

Comment:

First determine what the nub of the message should be. Make this clear in interviews with the journalist/journalists.

2. The nub of the message must be achievable.

Comment:

Do not express any positions which are not achievable. Where this happens, the power of the media instrument to influence behaviour is undermined. The policy notified by the police must therefore be maintained.

3. Timely preparation

Comment:

Use the time between submission of candidacy and championships for careful preparation of a media policy specifiying the individual roles and responsibilities of police/authorities.

4. Planning

Comment:

Include media policy throughout the planning stage and take the initiative in determining when the media will actually be informed.

5. Continuity and frequency of media contacts

Comment:

It is extremely important that exchanges of information and opportunities for press/media briefings are provided on a continuous and regular basis. Allowance should be made for media needs for rapid information.

6. Media projects

Police and authorities should make sure in the case of specific media projects that sufficient attention is paid to the police in the area of police information.

7. Readiness to deal with incidents

Comment:

The moment at which even a single incident occurs, the interest of the media switches swiftly away from the sporting event to the public disturbance. Account should be taken of the fact that a sports reporter has a different angle from a police reporter.

8. The media are enterprising

Comment:

Account should be taken of the fact that the media will also seek information from sources other than the police. Special attention should be paid to police strategies and police intervention.

9. Openness, comprehensiveness and topicality

Comment:

Let the media know how the police/authorities will act when necessary. There are no grounds for fearing the media if police planning and preparations are adequate. The police should provide comprehensive information. That information should be verifiable and up-to-date.

10. Display of confidence

Comment:

It is important to have confidence in individual police preparations and to display and communicate such confidence to the media. Police and authorities should assume full responsibility for their security arrangements.

11. Interviews

Comment:

Measures should be taken to prepare police authorities for their contacts with the media. Ensure that the police officer maintains his contacts from an appropriate workplace. The media should preferably be contacted orally in person.

12. Limitation/demarcation

Provide information about individual areas of policy responsibility and intervention.

Comment:

There should be clear agreements between the various authorities on who is to inform the media and the type of information to be given. Media appearances by police and authorities should concentrate on their own responsibilities and interventions.

13. Failures/recriminations

Comment:

Partners should avoid discussing any recriminations or failures with each other in the media.

14. Cooperation

Comment:

Media policy should never be developed without consulting the other partners. Media policy itself is a process of cooperation.

15. Agreements with foreign police teams concerning spokesmen

Comment:

Where the police of the host country is given support by police teams from other countries, it is to be recommended that it agrees, should the foreign police be approached directly by the media, to refer the matter to the police information services of the host country. Exceptions to this rule may be made if the supporting police team, with the approval of the host country, has added its own expert press officer (spokesman) to the team.

16. Involvement of police colleagues from the country of origin of supporters

Comment:

In interviews/press conferences in the country of origin of supporters, use should be made of assistance by colleagues from that country. They have the facilities and press contacts and they know the local and national reporters, including the persuasions of the press organisations for which they work.

17. Preparation of a list of national press services for the police of the organising country

Comment:

The police services of the individual countries should draw up a list of the most important press services with the sectors they target for the police of the organising country. With the help of this list, the police of the organising country can supply those press services directly with information.

18. Taking account of the type of press service

Comment:

In providing information on security, account must be taken of the type of press service and the sector which it targets. Sports reporters have less experience of providing information on security. This should be taken into account when drawing up press reports and issuing press releases.

19. Setting up a joint national working party

Comment:

A joint working party should be set up involving all partners: the police covering the match venues, the central information office on football hooliganism, the football organisation and the national authorities.

20. Factual information

Comment:

All representatives of police and authorities should communicate with the media on the basis of the same background information and with the greatest precision. In order to bring into line factual information, it may be useful to draw up common briefing notes and standard replies to regularly recurring questions. There should be daily exchanges of information on the questions asked by the media.

21. Written communiqué

Comment:

Press conferences should be backed up with a written communiqué. This has the advantage of ensuring that:

- the text can be given careful consideration,

- texts can be authorised for the press,

- an unambiguous message is conveyed (no subsequent arguments about "misunderstandings").

22. Information folder

An information folder should be made available to supporters, indicating the kind of behaviour that is culturally acceptable or unacceptable and the kind of violations of the law which will lead to action being taken. Advice should be given on ancillary matters with a view to ensuring that the supporters feel welcome. The folder should be distributed when tickets are sold.

23. Involvement of the public

Comment:

The public may be asked to take an active role by notifying the police of suspect behaviour.

24. Winding-down strategy

The press office should close towards the end of the championships, but information should continue to be provided by the central police command office. Notification should be given of when the police press officer will be available for debriefing and a final press conference.

25. Assessment of media policy

Comment:

When the championships have ended, an assessment report should be drawn up on the media policy pursued and experience with the media. Aspects with lessons for the future should be noted. This should also involve any police forces from other countries which have provided support.

26. Assessment of the European Union/police cooperation checklist for media policy

The police of the organising country should use the national assessment of media policy as a basis for deciding whether individual aspects of the European Union checklist require supplementing or adjustment.

CHAPTER 6

Requirements for admission policy and ticketing policy(1)

If organisers of major football matches fail to take all the necessary measures, this can have enormous consequences for the smooth functioning of the communities concerned. In particular, measures haved proved necessary in the following areas: banning fans who misbehave or have in the past seriously misbehaved, stadium admission and ticketing policy, and separation of rival groups of fans.

In the interests of public order and safety, the authorities, the police and the judiciary should establish beforehand requirements to be met by organisers in arranging international competitions.

1. Ticketing policy

Ticketing policy is an important instrument in promoting safety and order in stadiums. In particular, it centres on the separation of rival fans, prevention of overcrowding and control of spectator movements, as well as enforcing stadium bans previously imposed by football organisations.

The following are the basic requirements to be made of organisers by authorities and police forces for a responsible ticketing policy:

- the distribution of tickets should ensure that fans of the participating teams are separated into sections,

- ticket distribution policy, the allocation of tickets among participating countries, should reflect ticket demand from fans in those countries,

- sales policy should be designed to prevent black-market sales,

- fans should be prevented from buying tickets for a section of the stadium not designated for them,

- tickets should provide information about the holder of the ticket and its origin, in other words the history of that ticket.

2. Ticket control

Ticketing policy should be given practical effect through ticket control in which:

- separation of fans is brought about through strict allocation of accommodation (seating) to spectators by means of tickets, so that location in the stadium is determined by the participating team supported by a spectator and/or the nationality of a fan,

- ticketing policy should be designed so that allocation and hence separation of rival fans cannot be bypassed through the transfer of tickets in any form,

- overcrowding is prevented by ensuring that ticket allocations placed on the market are determined by stadium infrastructure. The control of counterfeit or forged tickets will also prevent overcrowding,

- the basic premise is that the admission capacity of each stadium will be determined in the light of risk analysis and that the full capacity will not be sold. A margin of safety is necessary in order to admit fans with tickets for the wrong section, as determined by the participating team supported by spectators and/or the nationality of fans,

- spectator movements in and around the stadium are controlled by means of adequate, recognisable division of the stadium into sections and related signposting,

- stadium bans are enforced by the arrangements for applications for and distribution of tickets and measures against any form of transfer of tickets issued,

- registration by the organisers as part of ticket control forms an important source of information for the organisers, the administration and the police.

Ticket control is geared to the stadium admission process, involving:

- printing of admission tickets,

- distribution of admission tickets,

- admission controls.

3. Admission tickets should meet strict quality requirements

- match and stadium data should be given,

- code of conduct for fans,

- conditions for admission to and presence in the stadium in spectators' own language,

- nationality of the holder of the ticket,

- name of the holder and name of the ticket agent/distributor,

- in principle, the buyer of the ticket is also the end user,

- tickets should be forgery-proof,

- each ticket should be accompanied by a notice in which the organisers at any rate indicate that:

- specified objects may not be taken into the stadium,

- alcoholic beverages and/or drugs are prohibited on entering or while inside the stadium,

- action will be taken in response to the throwing of fireworks or other objects in the stadium,

- action will be taken in response to any form of insulting or racist behaviour,

- occupying a seat not matching the number on the ticket could result in expulsion from the stadium,

- spectators at matches must agree to being searched on entering the stadium and are required to produce identification, on request, when presenting admission tickets.

4. There should be requirements for the distribution of tickets

- in information campaigns, the organiser should announce the official sales outlets and method of sale and urge the public not to buy admission tickets elsewhere, warning them that the distribution system leaves no scope for black-market sales,

- the organiser should continually monitor ticket holdings per country and per distributor,

- available tickets should be distributed to target groups in such a way as to allow sufficient tickets, in all fairness and to the extent permissible under European Community competition rules, both for the general public and for fans of participating teams,

- the organiser must impose an obligation to return tickets on national associations in countries with insufficient sales,

- the organiser must impose an obligation on the official distributor to return unsold tickets,

- the organiser should bear in mind that piecemeal distribution and sale of admission tickets will enhance control over the selling process. The organiser should impose reliability requirements for distributors,

- in the event of irregularities, the organiser should have the power to intervene in the distribution process at any time,

- the organiser should impose an information requirement on distributors, who should inform the organiser of the progress of ticket sales, if possible together with travel schedules and places to be stayed at,

- if applications for tickets are made away from national associations or the individual football clubs of spectators or fans, individual applicants should indicate the team they support. When final allocation of tickets takes place, this can be taken into account on public order and safety grounds,

- admission tickets should not be transferable,

- persons on whom stadium bans have been imposed will not be issued admission tickets,

- no tickets will be sold on the day of the match,

- purchasers will not be supplied with more than two tickets. The tickets will be issued in their names,

- tickets should be finally issued at the last possible moment (exchangeable vouchers),

- the organiser should provide assurances that the person whose name appears on a ticket, the ticketholder, will ultimately receive that ticket.

5. Requirements for proper admission policy and control

- the organiser will announce in advance those spectators that will be admitted to the stadium and those that will be refused admission,

- in any case, those on whom stadium bans have been imposed will not be admitted,

- spectators clearly under the influence of alcohol will not be admitted,

- spectators will not be admitted if they are carrying objects that could pose a threat to safety and order in the stadium,

- spectators will not be admitted if they are carrying objects that in any way reflect political aims, discrimination, racism or insulting attitudes,

- admission controls should be of a high standard, including searching of persons and enforcing of stadium bans,

- speedy admission controls should prevent lengthy queueing,

- admission controls should guard against overcrowding of stadium sections,

- where automatic admission systems are used, they should meet high standards of reliability and continuity.

CHAPTER 7

List of documents previously adopted by the Council of the European Union

1. Council recommendation of 30 November 1993 concerning the responsibility of organisers of sporting events

2. Council recommendation of 1 December 1994 concerning direct, informal exchanges of information with the CCEEs in the area of international sporting events (network of contact persons)

3. Council recommendation of 1 December 1994 concerning exchange of information on the occasion of major events and meetings (network of contact persons)

4. Council recommendation of 22 April 1996 on guidelines for preventing and restraining disorder connected with football matches, with an annexed standard format for the exchange of police intelligence on football hooligans (OJ C 131, 3.5.1996, p. 1)

5. Joint Action of 26 May 1997 with regard to cooperation on law and order and security (OJ L 147, 5.6.1997, p. 1)

6. Council resolution of 9 June 1997 on preventing and restraining football hooliganism through the exchange of experience, exclusion from stadiums and media policy (OJ C 193, 24.6.1997, p. 1)

7. Table of national contacts on hooliganism

(1) When establishing a ticketing policy, organisers must take into account EC competition rules. The Commission, in the application of those rules, will take into account factors relating to the maintenance of order and security.