WRITTEN QUESTION E-1060/97 by Jacques Donnay (UPE) and Jean-Claude Pasty (UPE) to the Council (24 March 1997)

Subject: Traffic in cocaine from Surinam

The population of northern France, especially the Lille region, is increasingly feeling the disastrous effects of the traffic in drugs from Colombia and Surinam, via the Netherlands.

The Dutch press only recently reported on the scale of the cocaine trade, in connection with the activities of the Surinam mafia.

The Dutch Minister of Justice apparently now has sufficient evidence to take legal action against the very clearly designated organizers of this trade.

Court action by the Dutch judicial authorities would be welcome as it would complement the diplomatic measures taken.

1. Given that the European Council has set action to combat drug dealing as one of its priorities, does the President of the European Council intend to encourage the Dutch Government to take action against those responsible for this traffic?

2. Is the President of the European Council prepared to engage in cooperation, in particular with regard to police forces, and access to the relevant files, with his other EU partners, who are victims of this traffic?

Answer (16 October 1997)

1. The fight against trafficking in drugs was one of the highest priorities of the Irish as well as the Netherlands Presidencies during the second half of 1996 and first half of 1997. A number of Council decisions aiming at enhanced cooperation between the Member States and their law enforcement authorities in their fight against drugs have been made, such as:

- the Joint Action of 29 November 1996 on cooperation between customs authorities and business organisations in combating drug trafficking,

- the Joint Action of 29 November 1996 concerning the exchange of information on the chemical profiling of drugs to facilitate improved cooperation between Member States in combating illicit drug trafficking,

- the Council Resolution of 29 November 1996 on the drawing up of police-customs agreements in the fight against drugs,

- the Joint Action of 17 December 1996 concerning the approximation of the laws and practices of the Member States to combat drug addiction and to prevent and combat illegal drug trafficking,

- the Council Resolution of 20 December 1996 on sentencing for serious illicit drug trafficking,

- the Joint Action of 9 June 1997 on the refining of targeting criteria, selection methods etc., and collection of customs and police information, and

- the Joint Action of 16 June 1997 concerning information exchange, assessment and control of new synthetic drugs.

2. Cooperation between the European Union and the Latin American region in the fight against drug trafficking is also constantly being developed. With the Andean Community a ministerial meeting was held in September 1995. Pursuant, to this meeting high level experts meetings took place in March 1996 and June 1997.

3. Under the Netherlands Presidency special attention has been given to action against Latin American criminal organisations. The Europol Drugs Unit EDU has prepared a report, and the implementation of its recommendations will start under the Luxembourg Presidency.

So far the Presidency has not undertaken specific action in regard to drugs trafficking from Surinam.

The question of the initiation of criminal proceedings or any other action by a particular Member State is a responsibility of that Member State and does not fall within the scope of activities of the Council.