Commission Decision of 21 February 2012 on setting up the expert group on EU criminal policy

23.2.2012 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 53/9
COMMISSION DECISION
of 21 February 2012
on setting up the expert group on EU criminal policy
2012/C 53/05
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Whereas:
(1) The Union, in line with Article 67(3) of the Treaty, shall endeavour to ensure a high level of security through measures to prevent and combat crime and, if necessary, through the approximation of criminal laws.
(2) The Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 20 September 2011‘Towards an EU Criminal Policy — Ensuring the effective implementation of EU policies through criminal law’ (1) stresses the importance of developing a coherent and consistent EU criminal policy which should be supported through discussions in an expert group.
(3) It is therefore necessary to set up a group of experts in the field of EU criminal law and to define its tasks and structure.
(4) The group should support the Commission’s work on the development of an EU criminal policy and provide advice on all related questions. The group should also advice on the gathering of factual evidence for the assessment whether EU criminal law measures are essential to ensure the effective implementation of a Union policy.
(5) The group should be composed of up to 20 highly qualified experts, appointed in a personal capacity in a balanced representation in terms of professional background and geographic regions.
(6) The term of office of the members of the group should be three years and should be renewable.
(7) Rules on disclosure of information by members of the group should be laid down.
(8) Personal data relating to members of the group should be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data (2),