WRITTEN QUESTION E-1605/01 by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission. European police force.
Date: 2001-06-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European defence policy, international affairs, legal status, military cooperation, peacekeeping, public order, rapid reaction force

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/61

(2002/C 40 E/058)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1603/01

by Konstantinos Hatzidakis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(1 June 2001)

Subject: Advance payment by the Greek Government of Community funds under the third Community

Support Framework in the form of government bonds

The Greek Government is planning to make advance payments of Community funds to contractors
responsible for CSF-financed projects in the form of bonds to be issued by the Ministry of Finance, which
are guaranteed on the basis of revenue from Community funds over the next few years.

Will the Commission say whether this procedure is consistent with Council Regulation (EC) 1260/1999 (1)
laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds?

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2001)

The Commission has seen press reports commenting on financial arrangements being considered or
entered into by the Greek government, which may have implications for the operation of European
structural policies in Greece. The Commission is seeking further information from the greek authorities
with a view to adopting a position.

(2002/C 40 E/059)

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?

C 40 E/62

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

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 (cid:129)
either for led operations or in support of the United Nations (UN) or Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) led operations (cid:129) 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 (cid:129) from monitoring and training to criminal investigation and community policing (cid:129)
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 (cid:129)
from judges and prosecutors to prison officers (cid:129) 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.

(2002/C 40 E/060)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1614/01

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(1 June 2001)

Subject: Vetting of civil servants handling secret documents

Civil servants in the Union and the Member States who handle secret documents as part of EU cooperation
are now to be subject to certain checks. Only persons who have been through a personal vetting
procedure which shows them to be (cid:145)unswervingly loyal(cid:146) are to be allowed to handle secret documents. This
also applies to civil servants in the Member States. All breaches of secrecy are to be reported to the
security agency to be set up in each Member State and then reported to Brussels. Any leaks of classified
information are to be investigated and traced on the orders of the Secretary-General of the Council, the
former Head of Nato, Javier Solana.

How are these rules to be implemented in Sweden where the principle of public access to official
documents and the freedom to pass on information are enshrined in the constitution? Is Sweden exempt
from the above rules in the European Union?