TEXTS ADOPTED
P6_TA(2006)0126
The common use of liaison officers posted abroad by the law enforcement
agencies of the Member States *
European Parliament legislative resolution on the initiative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland with a view to the adoption of a Council Decision amending Decision 2003/170/JHA on the common use of liaison officers posted abroad by the law enforcement agencies of
the Member States (10706/2005 —C6-0255/2005 —2005/0808 (CNS))
(Consultation procedure)
The European Parliament ,
— having regard to the initiative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (10706/
2005),
— having regard to Article 34(2)(c) of the EU Treaty,
— having regard to Article 39(1) of the EU Treaty, pursuant to which it was consulted by the Council
(C6-0255/2005),
— having regard to Rules 93 and 51 of its Rules of Procedure,
— having regard to the report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A6-0064/
2006),
1. Approves the initiative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as amended;
2. Calls on the Council to amend the text of the initiative accordingly;
3. Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;
4. Asks to be consulted again if the Council intends to make substantial amendments to the initiative of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
5. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission and to the Government
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
TEXT PROPOSED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM OF
GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELANDAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
Amendment 1
RECITAL 1A (new)
(1a) As regards Iceland and Norway, this Decision (with the
exception of the first and second paragraphs of Article 1) con-stitutes a development of the Schengen ‘acquis ’provisions
within the meaning of the Agreement concluded by the Coun-cil of the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and theKingdom of Norway concerning the latters' association withthe implementation, application and development of the
Schengen ‘acquis ’(
1), which fall within the field referred to in
Article 1(H) of Council Decision 1999/437/EC of 17 May1999 on certain arrangements for the application of thatAgreement (
2),
(1) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 36.
(2) OJ L 176, 10.7.1999, p. 31.C 293 E/206 EN 2.12.2006 Official Journal of the European Union
Wednesday 5 April 2006
Amendment 2
ARTICLE 1, POINT 1
Article 1, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1a (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
In this Decision, ‘Europol liaison officer ’means a Europol
employee, posted abroad to one or more third countries or tointernational organisations to support and coordinate the coop-
eration with the authorities in those countries or organisations
and Europol by facilitating the exchange of information betweenthem.In this Decision, ‘Europol liaison officer ’means a Europol
employee, posted abroad to one or more third countries or tointernational organisations to support and coordinate the coop-
eration both between the authorities in those countries or organi-
sations and Europol and amongst the liaison officers posted by
the Member States' law enforcement agencies to the thirdcountry or international organisation to which he is posted,by facilitating the exchange of information between them.
Amendment 3
ARTICLE 1, POINT 2
Article 1, paragraph 2, subparagraph 1a (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
This Decision is without prejudice to Europol liaison officers'
tasks within the framework of the Europol Convention, its
implementing arrangements , and cooperation agreements con-
cluded between Europol and the third country or internationalorganisation concerned.This Decision is without prejudice to Europol liaison officers'
tasks within the framework of the Europol Convention, the
arrangements made for its implementation , and cooperation
agreements concluded between Europol and the third countryor international organisation concerned.
Amendment 4
ARTICLE 1, POINT 2A (new)
Article 2, paragraph 1 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
2a) in Article 2, paragraph 1 shall be replaced by the follow-
ing text:
1. Each Member State shall duly ensure both that its
liaison officers establish and maintain direct contactswith competent authorities in the host State or the inter-national organisation with a view to facilitating andexpediting the collection and exchange of informationand that its liaison officers immediately and directlyexchange the information collected with Europol.
Amendment 5
ARTICLE 1, POINT 2B (new)
Article 2, paragraph 3 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
2b) in Article 2, paragraph 3 shall be replaced by the follow-
ing text:
3. Liaison officers shall carry out their tasks within
the framework of their responsibilities and in compliancewith the provisions, including those on the protection ofpersonal data, laid down in their country's laws, in theEuropol Convention and in any agreements concludedwith the host States or international organisations.2.12.2006 EN C 293 E/207 Official Journal of the European Union
Wednesday 5 April 2006
TEXT PROPOSED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM OF
GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELANDAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
Amendment 6
ARTICLE 1, POINT 2C (new)
Article 2, paragraph 3a (new) (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
2c) the following paragraph shall be added to Article 2:
3a. Where liaison officers are several in number and
are posted by different Member States to the same thirdcountry or international organisation, they shall coor-dinate their activities and their tasks in such a way thatany overlap in their work is reduced to a minimum. Tothis end they shall organise themselves with a view toworking as a team and they shall seek to develop linkswith liaison officers seconded to other countries withwhom cooperation is necessary or useful in the task ofcollecting, adding to and linking information beyond thenational, multinational or organisational frameworkwithin which they are posted.
Amendment 7
ARTICLE 1, POINT 3
Article 4, paragraph 1, new sentence (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
Such meetings may also be held at the initiative of any other
Member State and especially of those Member States acting as a‘lead nation ’for the EU cooperation in a particular country or
region.Such meetings may also be held at the initiative of Europol or
any other Member State and especially of those Member Statesacting as a ‘lead nation ’for the EU cooperation in a particular
country or region.
Amendment 8
ARTICLE 1, POINT 3A (new)
Article 4, paragraph 2 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
3a) in Article 4, paragraph 2 shall be replaced by the follow-
ing text:
2. Member States shall ensure that their liaison
officers posted to the same third country or internationalorganisation provide each other with assistance in con-tacts with the authorities of the host State. The MemberStates shall seek mutual agreement on how the tasks tobe performed are distributed amongst their liaison officersposted to the same third country or international organi-sation, ensuring that the interests of all EU countries areidentified and duly taken into account. If such distribu-tion of tasks is not agreed amongst the Member States,Europol and its liaison officer posted to that third countryor international organisation (in cases where there is suchan officer) shall undertake to effect and implement such a
distribution.
Amendment 9
ARTICLE 1, POINT 3B (new)
Article 4, paragraph 3 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
3b) in Article 4, paragraph 3 shall be replaced by the follow-
ing text:
3. Member States shall bilaterally or multilaterally
instruct liaison officers who are posted to a third countryC 293 E/208 EN 2.12.2006 Official Journal of the European Union
Wednesday 5 April 2006
TEXT PROPOSED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM OF
GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELANDAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
or an international organisation by a Member State to
look after the particular interests of one or more otherMember States and shall act more globally, taking into
account the EU interest.
Amendment 10
ARTICLE 1, POINT 3C (new)
Article 5, paragraph 1 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
3c) in Article 5, paragraph 1 shall be replaced by the follow-
ing text:
1. Member States shall ensure that their liaison
officers in third countries and international organisationsshall, in accordance with national law, the Europol Con-vention and relevant international instruments and sub-ject to compliance with applicable provisions governingthe protection of personal data, provide their respective
national authorities and Europol with information relat-
ing to serious criminal threats to other Member Statesnot represented by their own liaison officers in the thirdcountry or international organisation concerned. Nationalauthorities shall assess, in accordance with national lawand the Europol Convention and according to the serious-ness of the threat, whether the Member States concernedshould be informed.
Amendment 11
ARTICLE 1, POINT 3D (new)
Article 5, paragraph 2 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
3d) in Article 5, paragraph 2 shall be replaced by the follow-
ing text:
2. Member States' liaison officers in third countries or
international organisations shall, in accordance withnational law, the Europol Convention and relevant inter-national instruments and subject to compliance withapplicable provisions governing the protection of personaldata, provide information relating to serious criminalthreats to other Member States directly to the liaisonofficers of the Member State in question and Europol, ifthat Member State is represented in the third country orinternational organisation concerned.
Amendment 12
ARTICLE 1, POINT 3E (new)
Article 5, paragraph 4 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
3e) in Article 5, paragraph 4 shall be replaced by the follow-
ing text:
4. Member States shall deal with any request as
described in paragraph 3 in accordance with their respec-tive national law, the Europol Convention and relevantinternational instruments, and shall state as speedily aspossible whether such a request may be met.2.12.2006 EN C 293 E/209 Official Journal of the European Union
Wednesday 5 April 2006
TEXT PROPOSED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM OF
GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELANDAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT
Amendment 13
ARTICLE 1, POINT 4
Article 8, paragraph 3 (Decision 2003/170/JHA)
3. In accordance with national law and the Europol Conven-
tion, Member States may make a request to Europol to use
Europol liaison officers seconded to third countries or inter-
national organisations, with a view to the exchange of relevant
information. Requests shall be addressed to Europol via theMember States' national units in accordance with the EuropolConvention.3. In accordance with the Europol Convention, Member
States shall ensure that, where possible and necessary, a
request is made to Europol with a view to securing access to
itsliaison officers seconded to third countries or international
organisations, so that full use can be made of Europol channels
for the purpose of exchanging relevant information. Requests
shall be addressed to Europol via the Member States' nationalunits in accordance with the Europol Convention.
P6_TA(2006)0127
Citizens for Europe programme (2007-2013) ***I
European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parlia-ment and of the Council establishing for the period 2007-2013 the programme ‘Citizens for Europe ’
to promote active European citizenship (COM(2005)0116 —C6-0101/2005 —2005/0041(COD))
(Codecision procedure: first reading)
The European Parliament ,
— having regard to the Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council (COM(2005)
0116) (
1),
— having regard to Article 251(2) and Articles 151 and 308 of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the
Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C6-0101/2005),
— having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,
— having regard to the report of the Committee on Culture and Education and the opinions of the
Committee on Budgets, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the Committeeon Constitutional Affairs (A6-0076/2006),
1. Approves the Commission proposal as amended;
2. Stresses that the appropriations set out in the legislative proposal for the post-2006 period are depen-
dent on the decision on the next multiannual financial framework;
3. Calls on the Commission to submit, where appropriate, a proposal to adjust the financial reference
amount for this programme once the next multiannual financial framework has been adopted;
4. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it intends to amend the proposal
substantially or replace it with another text;
5. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.
(1) Not yet published in OJ.C 293 E/210 EN 2.12.2006 Official Journal of the European Union
Wednesday 5 April 2006
TEXT PROPOSED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM OF
GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELANDAMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT