WRITTEN QUESTION E-1605/01

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 June 2001)

Subject: European police force

Peacekeeping missions in the Balkans have shown that troops alone cannot cope with the numerous public order tasks which are necessary to maintain stability in the areas concerned. The decision to create a 5 000-strong police force to work alongside rapid reaction troops on future peacekeeping missions was again discussed at a meeting held on 10 May, at which each Member State set out its contribution to the European police force.

When does the Commission consider that it will be able to develop and decide on the appropriate form for the basic legal framework to enable a European police force to become operational? Does the Commission consider that this initiative should be backed up with a judicial and penal element, so as to allow for judges and prison officials to participate in EU missions?

Does the Commission believe that there will be a European police force by 2003, in view of that fact that some Member States have still not resolved the internal clash of competences which is the sole stumbling block to their contributing to the force?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2001)

It is important to clear up any misunderstandings: Member States are not creating a European Police Force or any kind of standing force. They are developing a rapid reaction capability of police officers and units from Member States that can be deployed at short notice for external crisis management operations - either for led operations or in support of the United Nations (UN) or Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) led operations - which is quite different from a European police force. Additionally, it is worth noting that this police capability is being developed with the fullest range of missions in mind - from monitoring and training to criminal investigation and community policing - not just for public order tasks and not necessarily only alongside the military rapid reaction force.

The issue of when a basic legal framework to enable the Union police crisis management capabilities to become operational is primarily a matter for the Council. The Union is likely to declare it initially operational at the Laeken European Council in 2001 and fully operational by 2003.

Regarding a legal and penal element, the Commission does agree that this Union police crisis management capability should be backed up by a concrete target in the field of the Rule of Law. Accordingly, it has supported the work of Member States to set a numerical target for the number of suitable personnel - from judges and prosecutors to prison officers - that could be deployed from Member States for crisis management operations. This numerical target was announced at the Gothenburg European Council of June 2001. Furthermore, the Commission is in the process of tendering for projects to provide training for Member States officials who may be deployed on crisis management operations. This will serve to improve both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the concrete target, by creating a larger pool of trained officials for deployment over the longer term and by ensuring these officials are better trained for crisis management operations.

Regarding the target date of 2003 for the creation of the Union police crisis management capability, since this capability will be put together on the basis of voluntary contributions by Member States, the question would be better addressed to the Council. However, the Commission notes that indications from Union Chiefs of Police at their conference held in Brussels on 10 May 2001 show that the Feira concrete target in the field of policing should be met by Member States by the end of 2001.