Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee - Developing a comprehensive and coherent EU strategy to measure crime and criminal justice : an EU Action Plan 2006-2010
Date: 2006-08-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU statistics, crime, criminal court, fight against crime, statistical method, terrorism

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 7.8.2006 
COM(2006) 437 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION  
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL  
AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 

Developing a comprehensive and coherent EU strategy  
to measure crime and criminal justice: 
An EU Action Plan 2006 – 2010 

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INTRODUCTION 

1. 

PURPOSE 

The  purpose  of  this  Communication  is  to  outline  a  coherent  framework  within  which 
statistical  information  on  crime1  (including  victimisation)  and  criminal  justice2  at  European 
Union  level  will  be  developed,  mainly  by  actions  of  the  European  Commission,  with  the 
support  of  Member  State  representatives  and  in  coordination  with  relevant  EU  and 
international organisations3. 

The Communication includes an action plan that sets out the framework and the main actions 
for the next five year period. An expert group, with representatives of all Member States, is 
set  up  by  Commission  Decision  to  support  the  Commission  in  the  implementation  of  the 
action plan where it concerns the identification of policy needs for data in the area of crime 
and criminal justice at EU level4, the decision is annexed to this Communication. In addition, 
the  possibility  will  be  examined  in  the  European  Statistical  System  (ESS)  of  setting  up  in 
2006 a group of representatives  of  all Member States to work on the development of crime 
and criminal justice statistics5.  

2. 

POLITICAL COMMITMENTS  

The need to develop statistics on crime and criminal justice has long been recognised by the 
Member  States  and  by  the  European  Commission.  Already  the  Millennium  Strategy  on 
organised crime6 recommended the elaboration of crime statistics. The interim evaluation of 
the  Millennium  Strategy7  called  upon  the  Commission  to  launch  a  study  on  statistics  in  the 
area of organised crime and submit a proposal for the setting up of a research, documentation 
and statistical network. 

The  Dublin  Declaration8,  recommends  that  "a  comprehensive  system  of  European  crime 
statistics should be elaborated and a co-ordinated EU Crime Statistics Strategy be developed." 
and states that “The objective of the strategy should be to provide information necessary for 
analysing trends, assessing risks, evaluating measures and benchmarking performance", to be 
supported by input from a Crime Experts Group and the EU Crime Prevention Network.  

The  Hague  Programme9,  outlining  developments  for  the  next  five  years  in  the  area  of 
freedom,  security  and  justice  welcomed  "the  initiative  of  the  Commission  to  establish 
European  instruments  for  collecting,  analysing  and  comparing  information  on  crime  and 
victimisation and their respective trends in Member States, using national statistics and other 
sources  of  information  as  agreed  indicators."  The  Council  and  Commission  Action  Plan 
implementing the Hague Programme10 mentions this Communication.  

3. 

STATE OF PLAY AND THE NEED FOR FUTURE ACTION  

Since early 2004, the European Commission has allocated human and financial resources to 
making preparations, developing internal coordination and setting up informal structures with 
relevant actors and consulting informally Member States representatives in the relevant areas. 
The Commission has also funded a number of research projects11 and more limited studies12 

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to increase the knowledge in the area, and has built a network of academics with knowledge 
in  the  field.  In  the  area  of  freedom,  security  and  justice,  a  number  of  meetings  under  the 
Forum for the prevention of organised crime13 have been organised to consult Member States 
in  a  wider  group.  Many  other  EU  and  international  organisations  have  increased  work  to 
develop relevant statistics14. 

As  far  as  the  statistical  context  is  concerned,  the  production  of  Community  statistics  is 
governed by rules set out in Council Regulation on Community Statistics15, and actions on the 
establishment of Community statistics are carried out according to the Community Statistical 
Programme  and  its  Annual  Programmes16,  respecting  the  principles  set  out  in  the  European 
Statistics Code of Practice17. Important issues concerning data protection and confidentiality 
are included. Within this framework, crime and criminal justice statistics have been included 
in the annual work programme since 2005 and Eurostat has held regular consultations within 
the structure of the European Statistical System (ESS).  

The  action  plan  is  thus  designed  to  incorporate  and  consolidate  these  experiences  and 
achievements.  

4. 

OBJECTIVES 

One of the main deficiencies in the area of Justice, Freedom and Security is still the lack of 
reliable and comparable18 statistical information. Quantitative information on the trends and 
levels as well as on the structure of crime and terrorism and of the measures taken to prevent 
and fight these problems in Member States and at EU level, and where possible international 
comparisons, is essential for the development of a knowledge based system of effective and 
efficient  policies  for  the  prevention  of  and  fight  against  crime  and  terrorism.  In  view  of 
increased financial resources from 2007, it has become apparent that the lack of knowledge in 
this area needs to be addressed in a coherent and comprehensive manner. 

Different  expert  groups  and  organisations  compile  available  national  statistics  and  make 
efforts  to  compare  levels  and  trends.  However,  national  statistics  differ  on  so  many  factors 
that  comparisons  between  countries,  even  with  extensive  efforts  to  make  them  comparable, 
are almost impossible. The actions outlined in the action plan therefore rest on the principle of 
subsidiarity.  As  in  many  other  policy  areas,  there  is  agreement  amongst  key  actors  on  the 
necessity  to  develop  a  framework  to  produce  comparable  statistics  at  EU  level,  based  on 
harmonised definitions and collection procedures.  

The  objective  is  thus  to  develop  statistics  that  will,  in  the  longer  term,  make  comparisons 
possible  regarding  the  structure,  levels  and  trends  of  crime  as  well  as  on  criminal  justice 
measures  between  Member  States  and  regions  within  Member  States.  The  task  of  making 
national  and  sub-national  statistics  comparable  across  the  EU  may  be  attempted  by  making 
use  of  the  Commission's  role  to  define  harmonised  methodologies  and  data  collection 
methods for Community statistics. A twin-track approach will be adopted. In the short term, 
available  national  data  will  be  collected  and  quality-assessed  to  form  the  first  Community 
statistics  on  crime  and  criminal  justice.  Significant  efforts  will  however  be  devoted  to 
developing  truly  EU-level  comparable  statistics  through  different  methods  outlined  in  the 
action plan. 

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5. 

AN  EXPERT  GROUP  ON  THE  POLICY  NEEDS  FOR  DATA  ON  CRIME  AND  CRIMINAL 
JUSTICE  

The  establishment  of  an  expert  group  to  support  the  Commission  in  identifying  the  policy 
needs for data on crime and criminal justice19 will aid the pooling of scarce resources on the 
user side, increasing synergy benefits by avoiding the duplication of work on organised and 
volume crime and across the EU Commission, EU bodies and agencies and other international 
organisations active in the field.  

6. 

MAINSTREAMING STATISTICAL INFORMATION WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION 

The development of comparable statistics can only be achieved if the Member States collect 
data  in  a  harmonised  way.  Achieving  harmonisation  in  areas  where  Member  States  already 
have  national systems in  place  for the  collection  of data  requires  extensive resources and is 
often  complicated.  This  is  therefore  identified  as  a  medium  term  goal  requiring  a  stepwise 
approach.  It  can  only  be  achieved  by  involving  Member  States  and  the  European 
Commission,  on  the  basis  of  an  assessment  of  the  urgent  need  for  such  harmonised 
information, or on the basis of legal binding acts. 

The  potential  to  agree  on  the  build-up  of  knowledge  could  however  be  more  appropriate  in 
connection  with  a  new  framework  decision,  directive  or  regulation  that  includes  common 
measures  to  prevent  and  fight  crime  by  common  definition  or  agreement.  Quantitative 
information on the structure, level and trends of the problem the instrument addresses as well 
as on the implementation of the instrument are necessary elements for subsequent evaluation 
as to the effectiveness of the instrument. 

Whenever legal instruments designed to prevent or fight crime are  drafted, the Commission 
will  therefore,  as  a  mainstreaming  initiative,  introduce  a  requirement  to  provide  appropriate 
statistics in a form adapted to the practices of the European Statistical System. 

7. 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN AND FOLLOW-UP  

At present, competencies and tools necessary for evaluation in the field of crime and criminal 
justice are being developed. Statistics on criminal justice in the EU are necessary to enable the 
Commission  to  carry  out  ex  ante  and  ex  post  evaluations  of  its  policies  and  proposals.  A 
Communication on evaluation of justice policies, scheduled for adoption in autumn 2006, will 
set out what evaluation methods the Commission has in mind and will give further details of 
the  relevant  statistical  areas.  The  action  plan  will  be  updated  as  this  work  develops,  and 
activities identified will be included in the relevant Commission work programmes and in the 
Community Statistical Programme and its annual work programmes. The action plan will also 
need to be extended when new instruments relating to crime and criminal justice are agreed. 
The  new  financial  perspectives  will  reflect  the  need  for  support  to  Member  States  in 
implementing the action plan. 

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The  Commission  will  prepare  a  mid-term  review  in  2008  and  inform  the  relevant  Council 
working groups on progress. At the end of 2010, the Commission will prepare a report to the 
European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  achievements  in  the  implementation  of  the  Action 
Plan  and  outline  proposals  for  future  work  in  the  area  (including  the  status  of  the  expert 
group) in the context of examining the need of a legal instrument on European Union statistics 
on crime and criminal justice. 

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TABLE OF ACTIONS FOR THE EU PLAN ON DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE AND COHERENT EU STRATEGY TO MEASURE CRIME AND CRIMINAL 

JUSTICE 2006 - 2010 

1. 

CO-ORDINATION AT EU-LEVEL 

Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

1.Efficient  coordination  within  the 
Commission 

Establish Inter-service group  

COM/JLS20  and 
Eurostat  

Third quarter 2006 

ISG21 established, at least 2 meetings 
yearly  

2.  Expert  advice  and  consultation 
with Member States22, Acceding and 
Candidate  Countries  representatives 
from  the  crime  and  criminal  justice 
area  and  from  national  statistical 
authorities, 
wider 
consultation  

also 

but 

a)  In  the  area  of  freedom,  security  and  justice 
establish  an  expert  group 
the 
Commission  -  to  include  representatives  of 
national governments in the expert group to be 
established23  

to  advise 

COM/JLS 
MS 

and 

2006 

Commission decision to establish an 
expert group3. Members appointed  

b) In the area of freedom, security and justice, 
Forum13  meetings  when  a  more  extended 
consultation/dissemination  of  information  is 
needed 

COM/JLS 
MS 

and 

When needed 

Forum  meetings,  minutes 
information on JLS website 

and 

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c) In the area of freedom, security and justice, 
regular  consultation  with  the  European  Crime 
Prevention Network (EUCPN) 

COM/JLS and 

Continuous 

MS 

One  representative  of  the  EUCPN 
appointed  as  member  of  the  JLS 
expert group 

d)  Organise  consultations  of  all  the  national 
statistical  authorities  through  the  European 
Statistical System (ESS)24 

COM/Eurostat 

Beginning of 2007 

Meetings of the relevant groups 

ESS 

coordination  with 
3.  Efficient 
Europol and EU Agencies and bodies 
–  EUMC25,  EMCDDA26,  CEPOL27, 
Eurojust28 

Organisations  to  be  invited  to  nominate  a 
representative in the JLS expert group  

COM/JLS  

2006 

Members  of  the  JLS  expert  group 
appointed  

2. 

CO-ORDINATION AT INTERNATIONAL LEVELS 

Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

1. European Sourcebook Group  

Include  a  representative  in  the  JLS  expert 
group. Invitation to Forum13 meetings etc. 

COM/JLS 

2006 

Members  of  the  JLS  expert  group 
appointed  

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Objective 

Proposed action 

2.  Efficient 
coordination  with 
relevant UN bodies such as UNODC, 
UNECE, UNICEF and WHO. 

Reciprocal  invitations  to  relevant  meetings, 
bilateral contacts 

Actors 

COM/ 

JLS and 

Eurostat 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

Continuous 

Effective  coordination  on  existing 
statistics 
ICVS,  CTS; 
such  as 
to 
collaboration  with  UNECE 
produce  guidelines  on  victimisation 
surveys;  possible  co-ordination  of 
questionnaires and meetings. 

3.  Efficient  coordination  with  the 
Council of Europe 

Investigate  possibilities  for  coordination  of 
penal statistics (SPACE) 

COM/JLS 

2006 

Conclusion  on  the  possibility  to 
coordinate needs and data collection  

3. 

STOCK-TAKING AND DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE 

Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

1. Taking stock of available data and 
indicators as a basis for agreeing the 
need for future action  

a)  Establish  an  inventory  of  EU  harmonised 
definitions of crime types 

COM/JLS 

July 2006 

Updating 
inventory 

of 

the 

established 

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

b)  Establish  an 
definitions of law enforcement measures 

inventory  of  harmonised 

COM/JLS 

July 2006 

Inventory 

c)  Establish  an  inventory  of  existing  statistics 
(including  at  sub-national  /regional  level  if 
relevant) available at national and EU level 

COM/ Eurostat 

End  2006, 
updates 

annual 

Inventory 

a)  Promote  possibilities 
research 
Research Programme  

for  developing 
tasks  etc  under  7th  Framework 

Continuous 

COM/JLS 
in 
cooperation with 
RTD29 
and 
Eurostat 

projects  with 

Research 
policy 
relevance  in  the  area  funded  by  the 
7th Framework Research Programme 

b) Disseminate information about opportunities 
for  EU  funding  of  research,  studies  and 
evaluations  to  be  given  to  interested  groups, 
such  as  the  European  Society  of  Criminology 
(ESC) 

COM/JLS 
in 
cooperation with 
RTD 
and 
Eurostat 

Continuous 

Information 
on  COM 
posted 
websites  such  as  CORDIS  and  JLS 
and on websites of interested parties 
such as the ESC website;  

2.  Develop 
academic 
possibilities for research input 

contacts  with 
to 

world 

the 
expand 

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

3. Derive all usable information from 
ongoing  research  projects  funded  by 
the 
Framework  Research 
Programme 

6th 

a)  Monitor,  attend  meetings  and  input  final 
results from different research projects, such as 
the AOC30 and the IKOC31 projects. 

COM/JLS, 
Eurostat 
technical issues 

on 

First half 2007 

organised 

Forum13  meeting 
in 
January  2007 
and 
disseminate  results,  minutes  of  the 
meeting on JLS website 

to  discuss 

b)  Evaluate  and  consider  possible  use  of  final 
results of the EU-ICS32 project. 

COM/Eurostat, 
JLS  on  policy 
issues 

2007 

Conclusions  for  future  victimisation 
surveys  

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4. 

IDENTIFICATION OF POLICY NEEDS, DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GENERAL TOOLS 

Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

1.  Identification  of  policy  needs  - 
urgent, medium and long term needs 
- for statistics on crime and criminal 
justice  

Continuous  discussions  necessary  to  monitor 
the  development  and  avoid  unnecessarily 
burdening MS and COM 

COM/JLS,  MS 
and  JLS  expert 
group 

2006 
continuous  

and 

then 

Inventory  of  agreed  needs  and 
possible 
for  different 
types of crime and criminal justice  

indicators 

Continuous  updating 
policy relevant data 

to 

include 

available 

2.  Identification  of  data  and  meta 
national/sub-
data 
national  level  and  establishment  of 
common  indicators  on  crime  and 
criminal justice 

at 

Identify  available  data  and  establish 
identification  of 
and 

a) 
common 
necessary 
background variables34)35  

indicators  (with 
contextual 

information33 

Action 
topics 
under 5. 

for  specific 
as  outlined 

COM/JLS 

Expert  Group, 
possibly 
subgroups 
specific topics 

for 

2007 

indicators 

Inventory of possibly available data, 
to  be  used  for 
draft 
European  Union  statistics.  First  list 
of 
and 
contextual information on crime and 
criminal justice 

background 

indicators, 

b) Identify available metadata  

COM/  Eurostat 
and ESS 

2006 

Inventory of available metadata 

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

c)  Examine  the  relevance  and  quality  of  the 
data identified  

COM/JLS, 
Eurostat 

2006-2007 

Quality report 

and ESS 

d)  Include  available  data  and  metadata  in  a 
common database 

COM/Eurostat 

2006-2007 

Results  of  a  first  data  collection 
exercise  (2005)  evaluated  by  ESS 
and included in Eurostat’s database 

3. Establishment and implementation 
for 
of  a  common  methodology 
regular  data  collection 
the 
for 
common indicators – on the basis of 
the identified policy needs  

a)  Establish  and 
implement  a  common 
questionnaire for annual collection of data and 
metadata for the common indicators 

COM/Eurostat 
and ESS 

2006  

First pilot collection. 

Annual  updates  to  take  account  of 
policy needs, data collection through 
national statistical authorities 

b)  Establish  a  methodology  for  a  common 
survey (module) on victimisation  

COM/Eurostat 
and ESS 

Mid 2007 

First proposal available  

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

c)  Translate  and  test  of  a  common  survey 
(module) on victimisation 

COM/Eurostat 
and ESS 

2007-2008 

Results available  

d)  Implement  a  common  survey  (module)  on 
victimisation 

COM/Eurostat 
and ESS 

2008-2009 

Results available  

4.  Compilation  of  meta  data  and 
contextual information - on the basis 
of the policy needs established under 
point 1. above 

Develop  a  methodology 
for  a  stepwise 
implementation  of  collection  of  meta  data  and 
contextual information 

COM/Eurostat 
and  

2006-2007 

Regular  collection  of  metadata  and 
contextual information 

ESS 

5.  Development  of  tools  to  collect 
data  on 
indicators  not  already 
available at national level 

Investigate  the  possibilities,  on  a  case  by  case 
basis, to include information on crime types or 
criminal  justice  measures  that  are  not  already 
available  at  national  level,  in  continuous  data 
collection by Eurostat or by other international 

COM/Eurostat 
and  ESS  with 
input  from  JLS 
and  JLS  expert 
group,  or  other 

Continuous work, see 
5. below 

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Objective 

Proposed action 

bodies 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

international 
bodies 

5. 

DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC INDICATORS 

Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

1.  Measuring  criminal  justice  in  the 
EU MS and at EU level 

Action  will  be  outlined  more  in  detail  in  a 
Communication  on  Evaluation  of 
justice 
policies,  scheduled  for  adoption  in  autumn 
2006.36 

Autumn 2006 

Developed  action  plan  for  this  part 
to be included in the Communication 
on Evaluation of justice policies 

such 

COM/JLS 
other 
DGs 
OLAF, 
possibly 
JLS 
group 

and 
related 
as 
and 
also 
expert 

of 

Inclusion 

background 
2. 
information  on  nationality 
and 
residency for prison populations etc. 
as urgently needed for EU policy on 
criminal justice 

for  produce  such 
Investigate  possibilities 
information,  including  coordination  with  the 
Council of Europe regarding their collection of 
penal statistics (SPACE) 

COM/JLS, 
Eurostat 

October 2006 

Council 
Europe 

of 

Conclusion  on  possibility  to  include 
expanded  information  according  to 
EU  policy  needs  on  nationality  and 
residency of prison population etc. 

3.  Measuring  police  cooperation  in 
the  EU  MS,  specifically  with  regard 

Action will be outlined in detail in the overall 
context  of  the  work  that  the  COM  will 

COM/JLS, 
possibly 

JLS 

2008 

Developed  action  plan  for  this  part 
to  be  included  in  a  Communication 

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Objective 

to cross-border cooperation and type 
of data exchanged37 

Proposed action 

undertake in this regard 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

expert group 

on  evaluation  of  police  cooperation 
policies 

4.  Measuring  five  types  of  serious 
and cross-border crime 

a)  Monitoring  progress  of  ongoing  study  on 
statistics on38: 

COM/  JLS  and 
contractor 

Study 
contracted 
2005,  results  to  be 
delivered spring 2006 

Study delivered  

1.  Corruption; 
2.  Fraud, excluding that affecting the financial 
interests of the European Communities; 

3.  Illicit 

trafficking 

in 

cultural  goods, 

including antiques and works of art; 

4.  Counterfeiting  and  piracy  of  products 
if 
copyright 

and  others 

(trademark, 
possible); and 

5.  Sexual  exploitation  of  children  and  child 

pornography. 

b) Examination of relevance and quality of the 
results obtained  

COM/ 
OLAF 
expert 
Eurostat and 

JLS, 
and 
group, 

ESS 

End 2006 

Conclusions  on  the  quality  of  the 
statistics collected  

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

c) On corruption: Results of the study, and of a 
Eurobarometer  survey,  to  be  discussed  by  the 
JLS expert group to decide how best to develop 
specific  indicators  for  inclusion  in  future 
surveys or collections of statistics 

COM/JLS, 
OLAF  and  JLS 
group, 
expert 
possibly 
subgroup 

2007 

Draft  questions  to  be  included  in 
victimisation 
future 
Barometer surveys 

survey  and 

d)  Results  of  the  study  as  regards  crime  types 
2-5  to  be  discussed  in  JLS  expert  group,  to 
decide on further work  

2007 

COM/JLS, 
OLAF  and  JLS 
expert 
group, 
possible 
subgroups 

Conclusions  on  where  to  continue 
work and in what form 

e)  Examination  of  possibilities  of  including 
these  statistics  in  a  regular  data  collection  or 
survey 

COM/Eurostat 

End 2006 

and ESS 

Decision  on  possibilities 
regular data collection or survey 

for  a 

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

f) Inclusion of data in Eurostat's data base 

COM/Eurostat  

if 

First, 
already 
– 
2007 
expanded in 2008 

possible 
in  Spring 
possibly 

Statistics  on  the  five  crime  types 
(those possible)  

5.  Measuring  money-laundering  and 
terrorist financing  

investigations, 

a) Identify data to be collected, including data 
seizing, 
or 
freezing 
on 
confiscation  and  convictions 
for  money 
laundering/terrorist financing39  

COM/  MARKT 
with  committee, 
JLS,  OLAF  and 
possibly 
JLS 
expert group 

Autumn 2006 

List of data and indicators needed 

List of available data  

b)  Examine  possibilities  for  regular  data 
collection  

COM/Eurostat 
and 

2006-2007 

Common  methodology 
collection and implementation 

for  data 

ESS 
MARKT 

with 

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

6.  Measuring  seizures  related  to 
cross-border  crime  on  prohibited 
and restricted goods  

a) Inventory and examination of the quality of 
the information available at national level  

2007 

and 
COM/JLS 
JLS 
expert 
group,  Eurostat 
and  ESS  with 
and 
TAXUD 
OLAF 

Examination 
common data collection 

of 

possibility 

of 

b)  Results  of  the  examination  to  be  discussed 
in JLS expert group, to decide on further work, 
possible setup of a subgroup 

COM/DG JLS 

Late 2007 

Conclusions on indicators 

the 

and 
expert group 

JLS 

c) Inclusion of questions etc. where possible in 
regular data collection 

COM/Eurostat 
and ESS 

2008 

Consideration for publication 

7.  Measuring  trafficking  in  human 
beings 

Developing  guidelines  in  accordance  with  the 
EU plan on THB40 and the roadmap on gender 
equality41 

COM/Eurostat  

Spring 2007 

Guidelines issued  

JLS  and 

JLS 

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Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

Possible  setting  up  of  subgroup  to  JLS  expert 
Group 

expert Group 

8.  Measuring  juvenile  crime  and 
juvenile justice 

Identifying  policy  needs42  and  developing 
indicators taking into account current work by 
international organisations 

COM/JLS, 
EUCPN and JLS 
group, 
expert 
and 
Eurostat 
ESS 

2007 

2008 

2010 

First indicators developed 

Green paper issued  

First statistics on juvenile crime and 
juvenile justice 

in 
9.  Measuring  data  retention 
connection  with  the  provision  of 
publicly 
electronic 
available 
communications  services  or  a  public 
communications network43 

Developing  methods  to  include  the  statistics 
mentioned  in  the  directive44  in  regular  data 
collection  activities  and  include  these  in  the 
ESS 

and 
COM/JLS 
Eurostat, 
JLS 
expert group and 
ESS 

2007 

Data  collected  and  included  in  the 
Eurostat  database  subject  to  quality 
assessment 

10. Identifying drug-related crime45 

Developing  a  common  definition  of  the  term 
"drug-related  crime"  on  the  basis  of  existing 
the 
studies 
EMCDDA 

to  be  brought 

forward  by 

2007 

and 
expert 

COM/JLS 
JLS 
group, 
EMCDDA 

proposal 

Commission 
a 
definition  of  the  term  "drug-related 
crime" 

for 

EN 

19 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

11.  Measuring 
citizens to specified phenomena 

the  attitudes  of 

Devising  questions  for  Eurobarometer  surveys 
on  fiscal  fraud,  identity  theft  and  victim 
protection 

COM/ 
COMM 

JLS, 

Spring 2006 

of  Eurobarometer 

Part 
published autumn 2006 

report 

12.  Measuring  violence  against 
women 

Identifying  policy  needs  and  developing 
common  indicators  on  the  basis  of  earlier 
work,  according  to  what  is  indicated  in  the 
roadmap for gender equality and the opinion of 
the 
Social 
Economic 
Committee46, and in coordination with relevant 
international organisations. 

European 

and 

COM/ JLS,  

2008 

JLS 
Group, EMPL, 

expert 

Eurostat and 

ESS 

A  common  EU 
for 
indicators  and  data  collection  on 
violence against women 

framework 

13. Measuring domestic violence 

Identifying  policy  needs  and  developing 
common  indicators  on  the  basis  of  above  but 
including all types of domestic violence 

COM/JLS, 
EUCPN 

2008 

Common 
violence 

indicators  for  domestic 

EN 

20 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

14.  Measuring 
structure  of  victimisation 
business sector 

the  extent  and 
the 

in 

Identifying  policy  needs  and  developing 
common indicators and a methodology for data 
collection  

COM/JLS,  JLS 
expert  Group, 
Eurostat, 

2008 

Common indicators developed,  

methodology  for  data  collection  and 
implementation of data collection 

ESS, 
JRC 

possibly 

15. Measuring the impact of terrorist 
attacks on the economy 

Investigate  the  possibilities  of  pursuing  the 
objective  within  the  network  of  experts  on 
economics of security to be created47 

COM/JLS, 
mentioned 
network 

the 

2008 

A report issued by the network 

16.  Measuring  environmental  crime 
and  action  to  prevent  and  fight  such 
crime 

Identifying  policy  needs  and  developing 
common indicators and a methodology for data 
collection 

2007 

JLS 
group, 

COM/JLS, 
ENV, 
expert 
possible 
subgroup, 
Eurostat 

First discussion in JLS expert group, 
conclusion on the need for setting up 
a subgroup to develop guidelines 

6. 

DISSEMINATION  

Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

EN 

21 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Publication 

1. 
of  Community 
statistics  on  crime  and  criminal 
justice for the wider public 

2.  Updating  of  different  groups, 
including  JLS  expert  group  and 
groups  established  in  the  context  of 
the European Statistical System  

Publication  of  data 
in 
accordance  with  Eurostat's  dissemination 
policy  through  the  websites  of  Eurostat  and 
JLS  

indicators 

and 

COM/Eurostat 
and JLS 

Spring 2007 

Data  available  on  Eurostat  website, 
indicators 
through 
disseminated 
websites of Eurostat and JLS 

Establish CIRCA Websites  

COM/JLS 
Eurostat 

and 

2006 

Circa  websites  established  for  the 
relevant groups 

7. 

POLITICAL AGREEMENTS AND FOLLOW UP 

Objective 

Proposed action 

Actors 

Timeframe 

Output/deliverable 

1.  Legal  basis 
for  harmonised 
statistics  on  crime  and  criminal 
justice 

Examination  of  the  need  of  a  Community 
instrument  on  statistics  on  crime  and  criminal 
justice – and possible drafting of a legal basis 

COM/Eurostat 
and JLS 

2007 

2008 

Conclusions on the need 

Poss. draft Community instrument 

EN 

22 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.  Evaluation  of  the  implementation 
of the action plan 

a) Yearly updating of the action plan within the 
COM and mid-term review  

COM/JLS 
Eurostat 

and 

2008 

Report  to  the  DSS  and  to  the  MDG 
and to the Council 

b) Follow up and assessment of impact 

COM/JLS 
Eurostat 

and 

2010 

Report  to  the  Council  and  to  the 
incl. 
European 
conclusions on the need for a second 
action plan 

Parliament 

EN 

23 

EN 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX 

Endnotes 

. 

1 This framework is developed to cover information on all types of crime, organised or not, and terrorism.  

2 The term criminal justice is used throughout this Communication to denote all measures within the judicial 
system that concerns crime, including the activities of the police forces, prosecutors, courts etc.  

3 One example of previous experiences where the Commission, in coordination between DG JLS and Eurostat, 
has led the work in harmonising EU statistics in the area of Freedom, Justice and Security, and also of a step-
wise  approach,  is  the  2003  Action  Plan  on  migration  statistics  (Com  (2003)  179)  and  the  proposal  for  a 
Regulation on Community Statistics on Migration and International Protection (COM (2005) 375).  

4 The members of this expert group will represent the users of statistics on crime and criminal justice. 

5 The members of this group will represent the providers of statistics on crime and criminal justice. 

6 The Prevention and Control of Organised Crime: A European Union Strategy for the Beginning of the New 
Millennium. OJ C 124 of 3.5.2000, p. 1.  

7 Doc. 10925/03 CRIMORG 49 of 30 June 2003. Report on the measures and steps taken with regard to the 
implementation of the recommendations of the European Union Strategy for the Beginning of the New 
Millennium on Prevention and Control of Organised Crime. 

8 Doc. 16302/03 CRIMORG 96 of 19 Dec 2003. Declaration of the Dublin Conference on Organised Crime. 

9 The Hague Programme: Strengthening Freedom, Security and Justice in the European Union. OJ C 53 of 
3.3.2005, p. 1. 

10 OJ C 198 of 12.8.2005, p.1. 

11 See endnotes 23-25. 

12 For example the following projects, funded under the AGIS programme (Framework programme on police 
and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, managed by DG JLS of the European Commission): 

(cid:131)  The project  JAI 2003/AGIS/051 "Developing an EU statistical apparatus for measuring organised 
crime, assessing its risk and evaluating organised crime policies", managed by Transcrime, Centro 
interdipartimentale di ricerca sulla criminalità transnazionale – Università di Trento; 

(cid:131)  The project JAI 2003/AGIS/111 " Séminaire sur l'évaluation des performances de la justice pénale", 
arranged by the Ministry of Justice, Italy. The conference proceedings of the seminar held in October 
2004, "Measuring Performance of Criminal Justice – Measuring Justice? Comparison of National 
Experiences" was published in a trilingual volume during spring 2006. 

Many other projects that are relevant both generally, and for specific crime types, have been funded by the AGIS 
programme and the predecessors. Under the AGIS programme 2006, at least two studies that are important for 
developing statistics on crime and criminal justice, are foreseen to be funded.  

13  The  Forum  for  the  prevention  of  organised  crime  –  hereafter  called  "the  Forum"  -  was  foreseen  in  the 
Commission  Communication  on  crime  prevention  (COM  (2000)  786  of  29.11.2000)  which  presented  some 
orientations  and  proposals  for  further  action.  The  Forum  aims  to  bring  together  a  wide  range  of  interested 
stakeholders,  such  as  national  law-enforcement  authorities,  business  and  professional  groups,  academic 
researchers,  non-governmental  organisations  and  civil  society  as  a  whole  to  discuss  new  approaches  in 
preventing organised crime, in an illustration of partnership at European level. 

EN 

24 

   EN 

 
 
                                                 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14 One example is the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) who has undertaken 
research and reporting that addresses some of the key concerns for improvement in criminal justice data 
collection. The EUMC publishes information on the statust of data collection on racist violence and crime in the 
EU Member States. These reports classify existing data collection mechanisms in the EU 25, and also provide 
information on trends in racist crime for those Member States for which dta is available. Given the absence of 
comprehensive official criminal justice data on racist violence and crime in many Member States, the EUMC has 
launched a pilot survey to look at ethnic minorities and immigrants' experience of  criminal victimisation.  

15 Council Regulation (EC) No 322/97 of 17 February 1997 on Community Statistics, OJ L 52 of 22.2.1997, p.1. 

16  2003-7 Community Statistical Programme, as adopted by Decision No 2367/2002/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002. OJ L 358 of 31.12.2002, p.1. 

17 Adopted by the Statistical Programme Committee on 24 February 2005 and attached to the Commission 
Communication (COM(2005) 217 final) to the European Parliament and to the Council and Recommendation of 
the Commission of 25 May 2005 on the independence, integrity and accountability of the national and 
Community statistical authorities. 

18 The word "comparable" in this Communication relates not only to one of the requirements concerning the 
quality of Community statistics, but also to the possibility to use the statistics to compare for example the extent 
of a certain type of crime in one Member State to that of another, or to compare the number of police officers 
between Member States. The problem with using the national statistics as a base is that they are based on 
different definitions and the reporting and recording procedures differ. Police discretion differ between Member 
States, as do the point in time when a police reported crime is recorded in the statistical database (at the time 
when the crime is first reported to the police, after preliminary investigation only or after a more thorough 
investigation). Furthermore, the methods for counting crime 

19 Commission decision of […] 2006 setting up a group of experts on the policy needs for data on crime and 
criminal justice (2006/…/EC). 

20 Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security within the European Commission, DG JLS 

21 Inter-Service Group within the European Commission, for the coordination between the different Directorate-
Generals 

22 Member States will hereafter be referred to as MS throughout the action plan 

23 See draft decision to set up the Expert Group on the policy needs for data on crime and criminal justice, in 
annex. The group is hereafter called the JLS expert group. 

24 European Statistical System (ESS): the partnership comprising Eurostat, national statistical institutes and other 
statistical bodies responsible in each Member State for producing and disseminating European statistics. 

25 The European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, the future EU Agency for Fundamental 
Rights 

26 The European Union Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction 

27 The European Police College 

28 Eurojust is the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit, a new European Union body established in 2002 
to enhance the effectiveness of the competent authorities within Member States when they are dealing with the 
investigation and prosecution of serious cross-border and organised crime. 

29 Directorate General for Research. 

EN 

25 

   EN 

 
                                                                                                                                                         
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30 Project "Assessing Organised Crime: Testing the Feasibility of a Common European Approach in a Case 
Study of the Cigarette Black Market in the EU", coordinated by Petrus C. Van Duyne at Tilburg University and 
partly financed by the Sixth Framework Programme for Research.under the heading Research for Policy 
Support. 

31 Project "Improving Knowledge on Organised Crime to develop a Common European Approach", coordinated 
by Ernesto Ugo Savona at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and partly financed by the Sixth Framework 
Programme for Research, under the heading Research for Policy Support. 

32 The project "Proposal for Conducting an ICS-based European Survey of Crime and Safety in the 18 Member 
States of the European Union", coordinated by Robert Manchin at EU Gallup and partly funded by the Sixth 
Framework Programme for Research under the heading Research for Policy Support. 

33  One  example  of  important  contextual  information  is  information  relating  to  the  number  (and  the 
characteristics) of cases which contain cross-border elements, other examples are if crimes include a racistic or 
xenophobic component,  information about the method used to commit a crime, value of stolen goods etc. 
34 Important and obvious background information is age and gender. Other information that is generally 
important for EU policy purposes in the area of criminal justice is nationality and residence. Information like this 
would help to identify the needs for EU level measures. 

35 Where relevant, disaggregated data at sub-national/regional level should be included. 

36 At present it is clear that it is desirable for policy needs to have information on the following: 

-  Criminal  justice  budget  (excluding  prison  budget)  including  number  of  judges,  prosecutors  and  defence 
lawyers, legal aid (and number of cases in which legal aid was provided by the state) and budget for training (on 
judicial cooperation and for interpreters and translators)  

- Number of: 

- offences recorded/prosecuted and criminal convictions per year 

-European Arrest Warrants issued and executed per year 

- requests  for extradition (granted and refused) per year 

- letters rogatory sent/received/executed per country per year (EU only) 

- requests for Mutual Legal Assistance, replies, timing for each kind of request (e.g.: hearing of 

witnesses, seizure etc) 

-  Joint  Investigation  Teams  (including  an  indication  of  which  Member  States  were  involved 
and the costs incurred) 

- qualified court and police station interpreters and translators and number of cases involved 

- foreign (EU and third country) nationals in criminal proceedings in each Member State 

- persons held in pre-trial detention and in prison 

Average: 

- length of proceedings (by type of proceeding)  

- length prison sentence handed down and served, by type of offence 

- time spent in pre-trial detention by type of offence 

EN 

26 

   EN 

 
                                                                                                                                                         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
37 The police cooperation to be measured would for example measure the level and intensity of the cooperation 
as in the context of Schengen police cooperation and bilateral cooperation agreements. The statistics would be 
specified by region (inland or common border etc.) and when it concerns cross-border cooperation outline the 
number of cross border pursuit, of cross border surveillance, of cross-border assistance on request of joint patrols 
and of assistance for maintenance of public order at mass events.  

38 Contract No. DG JLS/D2/2005/04 on a Study to assess the scope of and collect available statistics on meta-
data on five crime types and propose harmonised definitions and collection procedures for these types of crime 
for the EU Member States and the Acceding Countries. The contract was awarded, after a call for tender and 
subsequent evaluation procedure, to Transcrime, the Joint Research Centre on Transnational Crime, in Italy, in 
December 2005. The study will be reported during spring 2006. 

39 According to Article 33 of the Directive 2005/60 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 
2005 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering and terrorist 
financing (OJ L 309 of 25.11.2005, p. 29), the Member States shall ensure that they maintain comprehensive 
statistics on at least "the number of suspicious transaction reports made to the FIU, the follow-up given to these 
reports and indicate on an annual basis the number of cases investigated, the number of persons prosecuted, the 
number of persons convicted for money laundering or terrorist financing offences and how much property has 
been frozen, seized or confiscated".  

40 Council EU plan on best practices, standards and procedures for combating and preventing trafficking in 
human beings, OJ C 311 of 9.12.2005, p. 1 

41 COM(2006)92 final. Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the 
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. A roadmap for equality between 
women and men 2006-2010. {SEC(2006) 275}.  

42 Taking into account the European Economic and Social Committee opinion SOC/202 Opinion of the Section 
for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship on The prevention of juvenile delinquency. Ways of dealing 
with juvenile delinquency and the role of the juvenile justice system in the European Union (own-initiative 
opinion). 28 February 2006. 

43 In accordance with article 10 of the Directive 2006/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 
March 2006 on the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly 
available electronic communications services or of public communications networks and amending Directive 
2002/58/EC. OJ L 105 of 13.4.2006, p. 54. 

44 Article 10: "Member States shall ensure that the Commission is provided on a yearly basis with statistics on 
the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic 
communications services or a public communications network. Such statistics shall include: - the cases in which 
information was provided to the competent authorities in accordance with applicable national law; - the time 
elapsed between the date on which the data were retained and the date on which the competent authority 
requested the transmission of the data; - the cases where requests for data could not be met." 

45 Action 25.1 of the EU Drugs Action Plan (2005-2008). OJ C 168 of 8.7.2005, p. 1. 

46 SOC/218. Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on Domestic violence against women 
(own-initiative opinion). 16 March 2006. 

47 A first preparatory meeting will be organised by JLS in the summer 2006. The expert group is planned to be 
established by Commission decision later during 2006.  

EN 

27 

   EN