Initiative of the Portuguese Republic, the French Republic, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Kingdom of Belgium with a view to adopting a Decision setting up a Provisional Judicial Cooperation Unit
Date: 2000-08-24
Institutions: Belgium, France, Portugal, Sweden
Subjects: EU body for police and judicial cooperation, fight against crime, judicial cooperation in criminal matters in the EU, organised crime

24.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 243/21

Initiative of the Portuguese Republic, the French Republic, the Kingdom of Sweden and the
Judicial
Kingdom of Belgium with a view to adopting a Decision setting up a Provisional

Cooperation Unit

(2000/C 243/06)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Having regard to Title VI of the Treaty on European Union,
and in particular Articles 31 and 34(2)(c) thereof,

Article 1

to

the

shall

European Union

Each Member State

assign to its Permanent
1.
prosecutor,
a
Representation
magistrate, or police officer of equivalent competence,
to
perform the liaison duties necessary to accomplish the aims
and tasks referred to in paragraph 2. The fifteen members thus
appointed
the
supported
in a formation known as the
infrastructures of the Council,
(cid:145)Provisional Judicial Cooperation Unit(cid:146).

in Brussels,

shall meet

by

In close cooperation with the General Secretariat of the
those persons

2.
Council and the European Judicial Network,
shall:

(a) within the

scope of

each Member State’s national
legislation, help to ensure proper coordination between
to
the
investigations and prosecutions involving two or more
Member States and requiring coordinated action;

authorities with regard

competent national

(b) facilitate judicial cooperation in criminal matters between

the competent authorities of the Member States;

(c) assist Member States and the Council, as necessary, with a
view to the negotiation and adoption by the Council of the
act establishing Eurojust.

Article 2

This Decision shall take effect on the day of its adoption.

It shall cease to apply on the date on which the instrument
establishing Eurojust takes effect.

Done at (cid:133)

For the Council

The President

(cid:133)

Having regard to the initiative of
the Federal Republic of
Germany, and also to that of the Portuguese Republic, the
French Republic, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Kingdom of
Belgium,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Whereas:

(1) The Council adopted Joint Action 96/277/JHA of 22
April 1996 concerning a framework for the exchange of
cooperation
to improve
liaison magistrates
between the Member States of the European Union (1).

judicial

(2) The Council adopted Joint Action 98/428/JHA of 29 June
1998 concerning the creation of a European Judicial
Network (2).

(3) The conclusions of the European Council in Tampere on
in particular paragraph 46
15 and 16 October 1999,
thereof, concern the setting up of a unit
(Eurojust)
composed of prosecutors, magistrates or police officers of
equivalent competence,
to reinforce the fight against
serious organised crime.

(4)

In order to improve judicial cooperation between Member
States, structural measures to facilitate the coordination of
investigations and prosecutions covering the territory of
several Member States need to be adopted at Union level
without delay and,
judicial
cooperation unit needs to be established.

in particular, a provisional

(5) The meetings of

such a provisional unit

should be
supported by the infrastructures of the Council, as its
experience would be of value
in drafting the act
establishing Eurojust,

(1) OJ L 105, 27.4.1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 191, 7.7.1998, p. 4.