Initiative of the Kingdom of Belgium with a view to the adoption of a Council Decision concerning security in connection with football matches with an international dimension
Date: 2001-09-15
Institutions: Belgium
Subjects: Belgium, exchange of information, police cooperation, public safety, sporting event

15.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 258/7

II

(Preparatory Acts pursuant to Title VI of the Treaty on European Union)

Initiative of the Kingdom of Belgium with a view to the adoption of a Council Decision
concerning security in connection with football matches with an international dimension

(2001/C 258/06)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in
particular Article 30(1)(a) and (b) and Article 34(2)(c) thereof,

Having regard to the initiative by the Kingdom of Belgium,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

The national football

information centre shall act as a
3.
single, central, direct contact point
for exchanging relevant
information and for implementing international police coop-
eration in connection with football matches with an inter-
national dimension.

National football information centres shall operate inter-

4.
nationally on an equal footing.

Whereas:

(1) As

a

international

result of various

and European
competitions and large numbers of travelling supporters,
in scale. That
football
international
to approach
security in connection with football matches in a way
extending beyond national borders.

is becoming highly international
it necessary

scale makes

(2) Football should be regarded not just as a potential source
law and order or
in spite of the possible

of problems regarding breaches of
security but as an event which,
risk, has to be handled efficiently.

(3) For the purposes of handling a footballing event efficiently
and in particular preventing and controlling football-related
violence, it is crucially important to exchange information,
so that the police and the authorities can make proper
preparations and provide an appropriate response.

(4) For exchange of information in relation to a footballing
event and with a view to the necessary international
police cooperation in connection with football matches
with an international dimension, it is crucially important
information centre of a
football
to establish a national
police nature in each Member State,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Establishment of a national football information centre

1.
Each Member State shall set up or designate a national
football information centre of a police nature empowered to
perform the tasks assigned it under this Decision.

Details of

the national

2.
information centre
designated and any subsequent amendments thereto shall be
forwarded to the General Secretariat of the Council, which
shall have them published in the Official
the
European Communities.

Journal of

football

Article 2

Staffing and equipment of national football information
centres

resources

Each Member State shall take all necessary steps to ensure that
its national football information centre is equipped with the
the prompt and efficient
physical
performance of the tasks assigned it under this Decision. The
staffing of national football information centres shall ensure the
necessary police expertise regarding problems in connection
with footballing events.

required for

Article 3

Tasks of national football information centres

1.
National football information centres shall be responsible
for coordinating police information exchange in connection
with football matches with an international dimension. Such
information exchange may also involve other law enforcement
authorities contributing to security or law and order.

National football information centres shall be responsible,
2.
in accordance with the domestic and international
rules
applicable, for the control of information involving personal
data on high-risk supporters.

football

National

information centres shall coordinate
3.
and/or organise the implementation of
international police
cooperation in connection with football matches with an inter-
national dimension.

4.
National football information centres shall be responsible
for providing assistance to the competent national authorities.

information centres

For matches with an international dimension, national
5.
football
available, on a
permanent basis, a risk assessment in respect of their own
country’s clubs and national team, for the benefit of national
football information centres in other Member States.

shall have

C 258/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

15.9.2001

Article 4

Police information exchange between national

football

information centres

Before, during and after a footballing event, national
1.
football information centres shall engage in mutual exchange
of general information and, subject to the conditions laid down
in paragraph 3, personal data.

2.
The general information exchanged in connection with a
football match with an international dimension shall comprise
strategic,
Such
tactical
information shall be defined as follows:

information.

operational

and

(cid:151) strategic information: information specifying all aspects of
reference to security risks

the event, with particular
involved in it,

(cid:151) operational information: information providing an accurate

picture of proceedings in the course of the event,

(cid:151) tactical information: information enabling those in charge
of operations to take appropriate action for the purposes of
maintaining order and security in connection with the
event.

3.
Personal data shall be exchanged, in accordance with the
domestic and international rules applicable, with a view to
preparing and taking the appropriate measures to maintain
law and order in connection with a footballing event; such
data may in particular involve details of individuals actually
or potentially posing a threat to law and order or security.

involved in a footballing event shall be coordinated and,
where
football
appropriate,
information centres.

arranged

national

for

by

a

event

hosting

footballing

The national football information centre in the Member
2.
State
communicate,
throughout the competition and/or match, with the national
police force(s) in any countries concerned, where appropriate
via the liaison officer(s) appointed and supplied by such
countries. Liaison officers may be contacted in the subject
areas of
football-related violence, ordinary
crime and terrorism.

law and order,

shall

3.
National football information centres shall communicate
in such a way as to preserve the confidentiality of data. Reports
exchanged shall be kept on record and may subsequently be
consulted by other interested national
information centres,
subject to the agreement of the national football information
centre which supplied the information.

Article 6

Use of languages

National football information centres shall each communicate
in their own language, with a translation in a working language
common to both sides, save as otherwise arranged between the
parties concerned.

Article 7

Entry into force

Article 5

This Decision shall enter into force on . . .

Procedure for communication between national football
information centres

Handling of

1.
information on matches with an inter-
national dimension shall be coordinated by way of national
football
information
shall either be used by a national football information centre
itself or be passed on to the relevant authorities and police
forces. Contacts between police forces in different countries

information centres. After processing,

Done at . . .

For the Council

The President

. . .