Brussels, 12/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - It is not necessary for now to apply judicial control or more parliamentary control over Europol. It is, however, necessary to float the debate on such issues, as the European Union police agency is evolving, said European Commissioner Antonio Vitorino during the conference organised by the Dutch Parliament, on 8 June in The Hague, on democratic control of Europol. The Commissioner responsible for justice and home affairs feels that judicial control of Europol activities is "not necessary" for now because this Office is only responsible for analysing and passing information on, and coordinating inquiries. It does not have executive powers. The Member States, however, are studying the amendments of the Europol Convention, whereby the European Office could require that Member States carry out inquiries. Also, Europol agents could take part in inquiries conducted by Member States. It is therefore necessary, according to the Commissioner, to begin discussing judicial control and future relations between Europol and Eurojust. As far as parliamentary control is concerned, Mr Vitorino recalled that each of the Member State representatives at the Europol Management Board is accountable before his or her parliament. The European Parliament, for its part, has little power of control, as for the whole of the third pillar of the Treaties. Mr Vitorino therefore called on the European Parliament and on Member State parliaments to establish a joint committee for coordinating their control over Europol. The Commissioner also recalled that a control body supervises the way in which Europol collects and manages personal data. The Directorate General for Justice and Home Affairs at the European Commission is preparing a document on the question of democratic control of Europol.
Europol agent accused of financial irregularities and fraud
That same day, a Europol agent was conditionally released by the Dutch police who had, according to Die Morgen, taken him in for questioning for a matter concerning financial irregularities. Europol specifies in a press release that the inquiry was launched at its request, on the basis of its 1999 audit report. The Financial Times points out that the incriminated agent reportedly deflected at least EUR 100,000 from the Europol budget to his own account in Bermuda.