Council Decision 2006/560/JHA of  24 July 2006  amending Decision 2003/170/JHA on the common use of liaison officers posted abroad by the law enforcement agencies of the Member States
Date: 2006-07-24
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU police cooperation, Europol, Gibraltar, operation of the Institutions, personnel administration

10.8.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 219/31

(Acts adopted under Title VI of the Treaty on European Union)

COUNCIL DECISION 2006/560/JHA

of 24 July 2006

amending Decision 2003/170/JHA on the common use of liaison officers posted abroad by the law
enforcement agencies of the Member States

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

1. the following subparagraph shall be added to Article 1(1):

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

Having regard to the initiative of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland (1),

‘In this Decision, “Europol liaison officer” means a Europol
employee, posted abroad to one or more third countries or
to international organisations to enhance the cooperation
between the authorities in those countries or organisations
and Europol
in
particular the liaison officers posted abroad by the law enfor-
in combating of
cement agencies of
in particular through
serious forms of international crime,
the exchange of information’;

in order to support

the Member States,

the Member States,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

2. the following subparagraph shall be added to Article 1(2):

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

law enforcement

Following the evaluation of
the implementation of
Council Decision 2003/170/JHA of 27 February 2003
on the common use of liaison officers posted abroad
by the
the Member
States (3), certain provisions of that Decision should be
amended to take account of current practice relating to
the use by the Member States of Europol liaison officers
posted abroad in order
information in
accordance with the Europol Convention (4).

agencies of

to channel

This amending Decision provides a useful opportunity to
amend the provision concerning liaison officers meetings,
bringing it in line with the current practice whereby a
certain Member State, often referred to as ‘lead nation’, is
given responsibility for coordination of EU cooperation
in a particular country or region, which includes the
initiative to convene liaison officers meetings,

‘This Decision shall be without prejudice to Europol's and
Europol liaison officers' tasks within the framework of the
Europol Convention, the arrangements made for the imple-
mentation thereof, and cooperation agreements concluded
between Europol and the third country or international orga-
nisation concerned’;

3. Article 3(2) shall be replaced by the following:

The General Secretariat

‘2.
shall draw up an annual
summary to be sent to Member States, the Commission
and to Europol concerning Member States' postings of
liaison officers,
including their duties and any cooperative
agreements between the Member States on the posting of
liaison officers. This summary shall list the Member States
who, with the agreement of other Member States through
coordination in the Council structures, have been given
responsibility for the coordination of EU cooperation in a
particular country or region, as referred to in Article 4(1).
Details of Europol liaison officers posted to third countries
or international organisations shall also be included’;

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

4. the following sentence shall be added to Article 4(1):

Decision 2003/170/JHA shall be amended as follows:

(1) OJ C 188, 2.8.2005, p. 19.
(2) Opinion of 17 March 2006 (not yet published in the Official

Journal).

(3) OJ L 67, 12.3.2003, p. 27.
(4) OJ C 316, 27.11.1995, p. 2.

‘Such meetings may also be held, following consultation with
the Member State holding the Presidency, at the initiative of
any other Member State and especially of those Member
States that have been given responsibility for the coordi-
nation of the EU cooperation in a particular country or
region’;

L 219/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

10.8.2006

5. the following sentence shall be added to Article 8(2):

shall also ensure that

‘Member States
contributed in accordance with Article 2(2)
exchanged with Europol
Convention’;

the information
shall be
in accordance with the Europol

which Europol is competent under the Europol Convention.
Such information shall be communicated to the competent
authorities of the Member States concerned via the national
units in accordance with the Europol Convention’.

Article 2

6. the following paragraphs shall be added to Article 8:

This Decision shall apply to Gibraltar.

‘3.
In accordance with the national law and the Europol
Convention, Member States may make a request to Europol
to use Europol liaison officers seconded to third countries or
international organisations, with a view to the exchange of
information in compliance with the cooperation
relevant
third
agreements
country or organisation concerned. Requests
shall be
addressed to Europol via the Member States' national units
in accordance with the Europol Convention.

concluded between Europol and the

4.
Europol shall ensure that its liaison officers seconded
to third countries and international organisations provide it
with information relating to serious threats of criminal
offences to Member States for those criminal offences for

Article 3

This Decision shall take effect on the 15th day following its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 24 July 2006.

For the Council
The President

K. RAJAMÄKI