Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament - The prevention of crime in the European Union - Reflection on common guidelines and proposals for Community financial support
Date: 2001-06-13
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU aid, EU programme, cooperation policy, exchange of information, fight against crime, public safety

14.12.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 357/61

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on:

— the ‘Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament — The
prevention of crime in the European Union — Reflection on common guidelines and
proposals for Community financial support’, and

— the ‘Proposal for a Council Decision establishing a programme of incentives and exchanges,

training and cooperation for the prevention of crime (Hippocrates)’

(2001/C 357/16)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
— The prevention of crime in the European Union — Reflection on common guidelines and proposals
for Community financial support and the Proposal for a Council Decision establishing a programme of
incentives and exchanges, training and cooperation for the prevention of crime (Hippocrates) [COM(2000)
786 final) — 2000/0304 (CNS)];

having regard to the decision taken by the Commission on 29 November 2000, under the first paragraph
of Article 265 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, to consult the Committee of the
Regions on the matter;

having regard to its Bureau’s decision of 3 April 2001 to instruct Commission 4 — Spatial Planning,
Urban Issues, Energy, Environment — to draw up the relevant opinion;

having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on Crime and safety in cities (CdR
294/1999 fin) (1);

having regard to the draft opinion (CdR 100/2001 rev.) adopted by Commission 4 on 3 May 2001
(rapporteur: Ms Tarras-Wahlberg (S, PSE),

adopted the following opinion unanimously at its 39th plenary session on 13 and 14 June 2001 (meeting
of 13 June).

1. Committee of the Regions’ comments on the Com-

munication

local level. People have a right to feel safe in their daily lives,
and this is an important part of the quality of life.

1.1.
Europe is increasingly committed to public security
and safety. For a long time now, many EU regions and
municipalities have been confronted with crime targeting their
citizens or property, the business world or the public sector.

The Committee of

1.4.
the Regions shares the Com-
mission’s belief that intervention from the European Union is
likely to add real value to Member State policies.

1.2.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the section
of the Communication which deals with possible ways of
framing a crime prevention strategy, and the establishment of
the Hippocrates programme for the prevention of crime.

The Committee of the Regions believes that much of
1.3.
the EU’s crime prevention work must and does take place at

1.5.
The Committee of the Regions would stress that EU
crime prevention action must not prejudice basic general
freedoms and rights. Heightened vigilance in an attempt to
prevent offences which have not yet been committed must
not,
for instance, entail security measures which impose
excessive constraints on the citizen at either national, regional
or local level. The Committee of the Regions agrees that such
consequences should be highlighted and prevented.

(1) OJ C 57, 29.2.2000, p. 90.

Given the urgency of the matter, the Committee of the
1.6.
Regions will confine its opinion to everyday crime, as opposed
to organised or cross-border crime.

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2. Committee of the Regions’ recommendations to pre-

vent crime in the European Union

the education system, associations in the broad sense,
industry, banks and the private sector, research workers
and scientists, and the general public, supported by the
media.’

Definitions — the concept of crime

This definition is in line with previous Committee of the
Regions’ statements.

2.1.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the Com-
mission’s definition of crime and crime-related problems as
including punishable conduct and other deviant behaviour
by individuals and by spontaneous associations of persons.
However,
the
Committee of
the following
changes:

in order to make the subdivision clearer,

the Regions would suggest

Priorities and strategy for crime prevention measures

— serious crime often against the person,

i.e. offences
defined as such in national criminal laws (e.g. homicide,
rape, certain illegal trafficking);

2.4.
The Committee of the Regions agrees that the crime
prevention strategy must aim to protect both the citizen and
society, and endorses the proposed objectives for the European
Union.

— more frequent offences which can be considered less
serious, but which are also defined as such in national
criminal laws (e.g. theft, handling stolen goods, acts of
violence, fraud, embezzlement);

— ‘everyday violence’ which is tending to arise in new
and varied contexts (schools, sports stadiums, public
highways, residential areas etc.);

— anti-social conduct which displays a lack of civic spirit
but is not necessarily a criminal offence, and which can
by its cumulative effect generate a climate of tension and
insecurity.

2.2.
The Committee of the Regions believes that the above-
mentioned crime in the local environment has a significant
impact on perceived safety levels. This type of crime is also a
hotbed of recruitment for organised and cross-border crime. It
is extremely important that the EU Member States should
enact measures to prevent it.

2.3.
The Committee of the Regions also endorses — subject
to a minor addition — the Commission’s proposed definition
of crime prevention:

‘Crime prevention includes all activities which contribute
to halting or reducing crime as a social phenomenon, both
quantitatively and qualitatively, either through permanent
and structured cooperation measures or through ad hoc
initiatives. Here it is important to identify the conditions
and activities capable of impacting on both the direct and
indirect causes of crime. Accordingly, many actors can
play a preventive role: local representatives, enforcement
services and the various legal authorities, social services,

2.5.
The Committee of the Regions endorses the proposed
list of priorities for general crime, where measures are initially
to focus on urban, juvenile and drug-related crime. Continued
discussions of the priorities should take on board CoR views
since any future decisions involve local and regional authority
responsibility in the area of crime prevention.

The Committee of

2.6.
is
important that the crime prevention strategy should focus on
knowledge, partnership, and a multidisciplinary approach.

the Regions agrees that

it

A more robust, focused approach to knowledge would
2.7.
enable the Member States to improve their understanding of
the symptoms and causes of crime, and to identify new
crime trends. A more systematic impact assessment of crime
prevention action would enable the EU to achieve a reliable
and worthwhile exchange of experience and practice.

Effective crime prevention means identifying and mo-
2.8.
bilising the players who can impact on both the direct and
indirect causes of crime. Measures to combat crime thus usually
involve anti-crime cooperation. Models for such preventive
partnerships and network-building can be developed at all
levels: European, national, regional and local. The Committee
the Regions has already expressed the need to focus
of
particularly on awareness of
‘crime prevention’, and on
exchanges of information, and the launch and follow-up of
initiatives, including dissemination of results.

2.9.
A comprehensive crime prevention strategy requires a
multidisciplinary approach to promote use of complementary
ways of developing crime reduction techniques and social
preventive measures.

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Crime prevention instruments in the European Union

2.10.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the empha-
sis on cooperation on crime prevention measures in the
various policy areas. This particularly applies to policies which
impact on residents’ safety, e.g. social policy, urban policy,
regional policy and research policy. Other important policy
areas are the information society, external policy and environ-
ment policy. It is very important to involve the applicant
countries in crime prevention prior to their accession to the
European Union.

2.11.
The Committee of the Regions believes that the
proposal for a better match between the social exclusion
programme and the crime prevention strategy is a necessary
measure. The Committee also endorses including the preven-
tion of drug addiction in the new social agenda, which stresses
higher standards of living. These measures, along with the
social, economic and cultural integration of immigrants in the
fight against racism and xenophobia, are a good crime
prevention strategy as part of a European, national, regional
and local social policy.

The Committee of the Regions would stress once
2.12.
again the importance of the urban dimension, and of the
accent being placed on crime resulting from inadequate urban
planning. The Committee of the Regions agrees that insecurity
and/or crime should be among the indicators of the urban
audits regularly carried out in the large cities of the European
Union.

2.13.
A strategy for grass roots level crime prevention
requires in-depth knowledge and analysis of the feeling of
insecurity and how it spreads. Surveys are an important source
of information in this context. The Committee of the Regions
would stress once again that the media have a significant role
to play here. Media reports can influence perceived safety
levels to the extent that they do not correspond to any actual
safety risk.

The Committee of the Regions would stress the need
2.14.
for exchanges and dissemination of best practice to be subject
to an evaluation based on common criteria, to assess whether
they can be followed up or implemented across the board.

Committee of the Regions welcomes the French and Swedish
initiative to establish a European crime prevention network,
juvenile and drug-related
focusing particularly on urban,
crime (1).

2.16.
The Committee of the Regions agrees that an Internet
site for crime prevention could need setting up. This would
provide easier access to policy and practice in the European
Union and in the Member States, and facilitate exchanges of
information within the framework of the deliberations of the
European level crime prevention network. In this connection,
the Committee of the Regions would also point out that much
EU crime prevention work takes place at regional and local
level, and the possibility of linking this work (2) to the Internet
site should be considered. The Committee of the Regions
would, however, assert that the importance of such an Internet
site should not be over-estimated.

Hippocrates

The Committee of the Regions welcomes the proposal
2.17.
and concurs with the Commission that a financial instrument
would add value to Member State action in the area of crime
prevention.

2.18.
The Committee of the Regions endorses the pro-
gramme measures, viz.: training, exchanges and placements,
studies and research, meetings and seminars, and dissemi-
nation of the results obtained within the framework of the
programme.

The Committee of the Regions also believes it is
2.19.
important for the applicant countries to be given the option
to take part in Hippocrates-funded projects, in preparation for
accession.

2.20.
The Committee of the Regions feels it is positive that
the programme has been designed according to the same
principles as other funding programmes in the area of Justice
and Home Affairs. With regard to the criteria for obtaining
funds under the programme (within the EU), it is worthwhile
looking at the experience of the European Crime Prevention
Awards (ECPA), in which six Member States currently partici-
pate. The award is meant to encourage measures to combat
‘everyday’ crime.

2.15.
Effective EU crime prevention requires a comprehen-
sive mobilisation of many sections of society, building a
partnership between national, local and regional authorities,
NGOs,
the private sector and citizens, all of which can
be considered as society’s crime prevention players. The

(1) Council of the European Union 13464/00 DG H III.
(2) e.g. efforts to reduce crime and the fear of crime via urban
planning, architecture, and the upkeep and maintenance of towns
through Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design —
CPTED, and the European Designing Out Crime Association
(website: www.e-doca.net), and the International CPTED Associ-
ation (www.CPTED.net).

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2.21.
The Committee of the Regions believes that the
proposed appropriation of EUR 2 million is too low. The
programme is intended as a pilot programme, i.e. established
for a period of two years running from 1 January 2001 to
31 December 2002,
in order to comply with other pro-
grammes managed by the Commission. The Committee of the
Regions wonders whether the introductory phase of
the
programme will actually lead to an increase in overall support
for crime prevention. Establishment of the Hippocrates pro-
gramme could lead to other avenues for crime prevention
support being cut off. Moreover, the sum set aside is low.
Consequently, the Committee of the Regions does not believe
that the programme will necessarily provide more resources
during the first two years.

The Committee of the Regions would stress that it is
2.22.
extremely important to raise the profile of measures to combat
crime other than organised crime. Otherwise ‘everyday’ crime
will end up being overlooked.

2.23.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes and sup-
ports the Hippocrates programme, and assumes the figure
earmarked for the programme will be raised after the start-up
phase.

Conclusions

2.24.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes the pro-
posed definitions of crime and crime prevention. It is important
to apply the same definitions wholesale at national, regional
and local level throughout the European Union.

Brussels, 13 June 2001.

2.25.
The Committee of the Regions would stress that the
subsidiarity principle must be taken into consideration in the
implementation of the crime prevention strategy.

2.26.
The Committee of the Regions endorses the declared
objectives and proposed approach with a list of priority
measures to focus initially on urban, juvenile and drug-related
crime.

2.27.
The Committee of the Regions would stress that a
European crime prevention strategy must be built around an
overall approach, and promote recourse to situational and
social measures.

2.28.
on cooperation between different policy areas.

The Committee of the Regions welcomes the focus

2.29.
establishment of a European crime prevention network.

The Committee of the Regions warmly welcomes the

2.30.
The Committee of the Regions endorses the proposal
for the possible establishment of a crime prevention Internet
site.

2.31.
The Committee of the Regions welcomes and sup-
ports the establishment of the Hippocrates programme and
assumes that measures to combat crime other than organised
crime will be given a higher profile.

2.32.
The Committee of the Regions assumes the figure
earmarked for the programme will be raised after the start-up
phase.

2.33.
The Committee of the Regions would also stress the
need for the funding programme to benefit the applicant
countries.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT