WRITTEN QUESTION E-2405/97 by Hartmut Nassauer (PPE) to the Council (18 July 1997)

Subject: Joint actions adopted by the Council under Article K.3(2) of the TEU

1. Will the Council set out all the joint actions adopted under Article K.3(2) of the TEU during the recent Irish and Dutch presidencies, giving for each

(a) the initiator of the joint action (Member State or Commission),

(b) the way in which Parliament was informed and consulted prior to adoption,

(c) the date of adoption, and how the adoption was publicized,

(d) the date and issue of publication in the Official Journal.

2. Will the Council also set out the joint actions which are now under consideration, by whom they were proposed, and how it intends to inform and consult Parliament before their adoption?

Answer (17 November 1997)

1. Between 1 July 1996 and 30 June 1997, during the Irish and Dutch presidencies of the European Union, the Council adopted the following joint actions, based on Article K.3(2) of the Treaty on European Union:

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Spain, concerning action to combat racism and xenophobia, adopted on 15 July 1996 and published in OJ L 185 of 24 July 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Italy, providing for a common framework for the initiatives of the Member States concerning liaison officers, adopted on 14 October 1996 and published in OJ L 268 of 19 October 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of the United Kingdom, concerning the creation and maintenance of a directory of specialized counter-terrorist competences, skills and expertise to facilitate counter-terrorist cooperation between the Member States, adopted on 15 October 1996 and published in OJ L 273 of 25 October 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of the Commission, on a programme of incentives and exchanges for legal practitioners ("Grotius¨), adopted on 28 October 1996 and published in OJ L 287 of 8 November 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of the Commission, introducing a programme of training, exchanges and cooperation in the field of identity documents ("Sherlock¨), adopted on 28 October 1996 and published in OJ L 287 of 8 November 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Ireland, on cooperation between customs authorities and business organizations in combating drug trafficking, adopted on 29 November 1996 and published in OJ L 322 of 12 December 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Ireland and Belgium, concerning the creation and maintenance of a directory of specialized competences, skills and expertise in the fight against international organized crime, in order to facilitate law enforcement cooperation between the Member States, adopted on 29 November 1996 and published in OJ L 342 of 31 December 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Ireland, concerning the exchange of information on the chemical profiling of drugs to facilitate improved cooperation between Member States in combating illicit drug trafficking, adopted on 29 November 1996 and published in OJ L 322 of 12 December 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Belgium, establishing an incentive and exchange programme for persons responsible for combating trade in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children ("Stop¨), adopted on 29 November 1996 and published in OJ L 322 of 12 December 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Belgium and the Netherlands, extending the mandate given to the Europol Drugs Unit, adopted on 16 December 1996 and published in OJ L 342 of 31 December 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Sweden, concerning a uniform format for residence permits, adopted on 16 December 1996 and published in OJ L 7 of 10 January 1997;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of France, concerning the approximation of the laws and practices of the Member States to combat drug addiction and to prevent and combat illegal drug trafficking, adopted in 17 December 1996 and published in OJ L 342 of 31 December 1996;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Ireland, providing for a common programme for the exchange and training of, and cooperation between, law enforcement authorities ("Oisin¨), adopted on December 1996 and published in OJ L 7 of 10 January 1997;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of Belgium, concerning action to combat trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of children, adopted on 24 February 1997 and published in OJ L 63 of March 1997;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of the Netherlands, with regard to cooperation on law and order and security, adopted on 26 May 1997 and published in OJ L 147 of 5 June 1997;

- Joint Action for the refining of targeting criteria, selection methods, etc., and collection of customs and police information, adopted on 9 June 1997 and published in OJ L 159 of 17 June 1997;

- Joint Action, on the initiative of the Netherlands, concerning the information exchange, risk assessment and the control of a new synthetic drugs, adopted on 16 June 1997 and published in OJ L 167 of 25 June 1997.

During this period, the Presidency kept the European Parliament regularly informed on work being carried out in areas relevant to Title VI of the Treaty and on the salient aspects and aims of some of these proposals.

2. During the current six months, the Presidency has requested consultation on the European Parliament on the following draft texts:

- draft Resolution laying down the priorities for cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs for the period from 1 July 1997 to the date of entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam;

- draft Joint Action to create a European Judicial Network;

- draft Joint Action introducing a programme of training, exchanges and cooperation in the field of asylum, immigration and crossing of external borders (Odysseus programme).

- draft Joint Action on making it a criminal offence to participate in a criminal organization in the Member States of the European Union;

- draft Joint Action establishing a mechanism for evaluating the application and implementation at national level of international undertakings in the fight against organized crime;

- draft Joint Action on making corruption in the private sector a criminal offence.

The Presidency has also announced its intention of consulting the European Parliament on other draft texts.