Brussels, 03/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - Marc Verwilgen, who chairs for the next six months, which have just begun, the European Union's Justice Council, presented the four main priorities of the Belgian Presidency, when asserting that the Presidency would deploy all the efforts necessary to achieve the adoption of the decision creating Eurojust next December, in order to enhance criminal judicial cooperation in the EU.
The Eurojust provisional unit should grant an absolute priority to the fight against the trafficking of human beings and the sexual exploitation of children, second priority for the Presidency, indicated Mr Verwilgen, who adds that the Presidency is working toward strengthening the operational efficiency of this fight at the European level and to try to achieve the harmonisation of the provisions in the Member States national law, while taking into account the acquis of the joint action of 24 February 1997. Furthermore, the Belgian Presidency announces that it is preparing a "coordinated position" for the Union for the second world congress on the commercial sexual exploitation of children, which will take place from next 17 to 20 December in Yokohama.
The third priority for this six month period the search for missing persons, and above all children. The Presidency announced on this issue that, in the light of the consultation with the Member States, it would propose a resolution aiming to support the action of aid organisations in the search for missing persons and to improve the collaboration between such bodies and public authorities.
Finally, Mr Verwilgen indicates that the initiative jointly taken by France, Sweden and Belgium on the draft framework decision in terms of the freeze of assets will act as a pilot project for the policy of the recognition in law of judicial decisions. The Belgian Presidency will in favour of the instrument's adoption assures the Presidency of the EU Justice Council.