The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Frieda BREPOELS (EPP-ED, BE) and made a few amendments to the proposal. (Please see the summary dated 20/06/2006.)

The committee adopted the report by Frieda BREPOELS (EPP-ED, BE) broadly approving the proposed decision on strengthening cross-border police cooperation with regard to large meetings attended by people from more than one Member State. It adopted a few amendments under the consultation procedure:

- it should be emphasised that the proposed measures must in no way contravene the proportionality and subsidiarity principles or European rules on the protection of privacy;

- although the proposal provides that, for the purpose of drawing up an overview of the international assistance which may be required in the following year, the relevant information should be submitted by the Member States to the Presidency by 30 October each year, MEPs pointed out that some international events cannot be planned far in advance and that provision should therefore be made for adding an "unanticipated event" to the list;

- the clause stipulating that the proposed report on the results of the actions developed should be confidential was deleted, as MEPs felt that it should be rendered public and presented to other EU institutions;

- the Council Secretariat's task of conducting background research into forms of cooperation between the Member States should not be limited to a one-off stock-taking of existing agreements; instead, it should be carried out on an ongoing basis and should cover new initiatives and those in the process of being developed.

PURPOSE : to strengthen cross-border police cooperation with regard to meetings attended by large numbers of people from more than one Member State , at which policing is primarily aimed at maintaining law and order and security and preventing and combating criminal offences.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision (Initiative of the Netherlands).

CONTENT : one of Europe's objectives is to provide citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice. This means that adequate intervention by police officers must be possible when problems of the kind indicated above occur. To that end, proper planning and effective means of giving cross-border assistance are indispensable. The aim of this Decision is to improve the planning of cross-border assistance and to make it more effective.

In order to avoid duplication, the aim of this initiative follows on from earlier initiatives such as Joint Action of 26 May 1997, adopted by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, with regard to cooperation on law and order and security (97/339/JHA).

As regards the planning of international assistance, it is proposed to lay down a procedure whereby, in the last quarter of each calendar year, the Presidency of the Council will present an overview of :

- the international events scheduled for the following calendar year;

- the international assistance required for those international events.

In order to make international cooperation effective, it is important to resolve the main difficulties which arise. The Presidency of the Council will make a review of international assistance provided over the past year. The review will comprise of an overview of the international events that have taken place, an overview of the international assistance provided in the year in question, an overview of the main difficulties observed by the Member States regarding international events and recommendations as to how the difficulties could be resolved.

The review shall be prepared by the central bodies for law and order and security. Member States shall submit the information together with any recommendation they may wish to make in that connection, no later than 1 December each year.

In order to make agreements already concluded accessible, it is proposed that the General Secretariat of the Council to draw up an inventory. On the basis of that inventory, within one year the Council will discuss whether the main difficulties observed can be resolved by adapting the relevant European legislation, in particular some Articles of the Schengen Convention.

PURPOSE : to strengthen cross-border police cooperation with regard to meetings attended by large numbers of people from more than one Member State , at which policing is primarily aimed at maintaining law and order and security and preventing and combating criminal offences.

PROPOSED ACT : Council Decision (Initiative of the Netherlands).

CONTENT : one of Europe's objectives is to provide citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice. This means that adequate intervention by police officers must be possible when problems of the kind indicated above occur. To that end, proper planning and effective means of giving cross-border assistance are indispensable. The aim of this Decision is to improve the planning of cross-border assistance and to make it more effective.

In order to avoid duplication, the aim of this initiative follows on from earlier initiatives such as Joint Action of 26 May 1997, adopted by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, with regard to cooperation on law and order and security (97/339/JHA).

As regards the planning of international assistance, it is proposed to lay down a procedure whereby, in the last quarter of each calendar year, the Presidency of the Council will present an overview of :

- the international events scheduled for the following calendar year;

- the international assistance required for those international events.

In order to make international cooperation effective, it is important to resolve the main difficulties which arise. The Presidency of the Council will make a review of international assistance provided over the past year. The review will comprise of an overview of the international events that have taken place, an overview of the international assistance provided in the year in question, an overview of the main difficulties observed by the Member States regarding international events and recommendations as to how the difficulties could be resolved.

The review shall be prepared by the central bodies for law and order and security. Member States shall submit the information together with any recommendation they may wish to make in that connection, no later than 1 December each year.

In order to make agreements already concluded accessible, it is proposed that the General Secretariat of the Council to draw up an inventory. On the basis of that inventory, within one year the Council will discuss whether the main difficulties observed can be resolved by adapting the relevant European legislation, in particular some Articles of the Schengen Convention.

The Dutch delegation has proposed to the delegations of the EU an explanatory memorandum which presents the aims and objectives of this draft decision.

The Decision is based on Articles 29 and 30 of the Treaty on European Union. Given the importance of the subject, it has been chosen to deal with it in a Decision as referred to in Article 34 of the Treaty on European Union. Moreover, a variety of initiatives at European level have been prompted in the last few years, such as the Security Handbook of 28 November 2002 for the use of police authorities and services at international events such as the meetings of the European Council; Council Resolution of 22 July 2003 on security at meetings of the European Council and other comparable events; Council Conclusions of 13 July 2001 on security at meetings of the European Council and other comparable events; Joint Action 97/339/JHA, adopted by the Council on 26 May 1997 on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, with regard to cooperation on law and order and security and a Council Resolution of 29 April 2004.

It should be noted that the resources which police officers can deploy to give international assistance are, by definition, scarce. In order to ensure that the supply of scarce resources is adequately tailored to the increasing demand for international assistance, it is important to gain an early understanding of the nature of forthcoming international events and in particular those where international assistance will be requested.

With a view to making international assistance effective, it is important to resolve the main difficulties which arise at such events. But first of all it is necessary to be aware of them. Then it is important to take a structured look at ways of resolving them. Recommendations prompted by police practice are a good starting point.

Nor should any bilateral agreements already concluded in the meantime be overlooked. In this connection it is important to see whether it is possible to derive from such agreements any measures of use for cooperation at European level.