Brussels, 16/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - Gathered in Brussels on 13 July, the EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers reached an agreement on political guidelines and on operational measures relating to the security of European Council meetings and other events of comparable impact given the risk of violent demonstrations (see EUROPE of 14 July, p.8). Presenting the results after work, Belgian Home Affairs Minister Antoine Duquesne stressed the "JHA Council's role of architect" and the necessary solidarity that must exist between Member States when one of them is confronted by a serious event, and, hence, the need to adopt concrete measures that strengthen cooperation between the Member States". Mr Duquesne recognised the importance of having an "overall policy of restraint" and affirmed the wish of the Belgian EU Presidency to "strike a balance between the freedom and safety of citizens". Commissioner Antonio Vitorino recalled that, "being in the Commission, we are the guardians of the Treaties". He regretted that the sensationalism of such troubles resulted in pushing the Gothenburg Summit's conclusions and the message of legitimate demonstrators into the background. Belgian Justice Minister Marc Verwilghen insisted on legal cooperation allowing those responsible for the disturbances to be prosecuted as quickly as possible.
In their conclusions, the Fifteen recall: 1) the right of citizens to express their views freely and to gather in a peaceful manner within the area of freedom, security and justice formed by the EU; 2) the importance of establishing dialogue with non-governmental organisations, social partners and the civil society, and "constructive dialogue" with the organisers of public demonstrations and the authorities of the host country, as well as having "close international contacts within the prosecuting authorities of Member States".
In order to reduce the risk of serious public order disturbances, the ministers agreed on a series of operational measures, as follows:
1. Police cooperation. These measures mainly comprise the activation in Member States of a permanent national contact point allowing the collection, analysis and exchange of relevant information; - the setting in place, at the request of the country where the event is held, of a pool of liaison officers; - recourse to police officials or intelligence allowing identification of people or groups likely to be a threat to public safety and order ("spotters"); - permanent follow-up of this operational process by a group with high level responsibilities that may get together, at the request of the host Member State, a Task Force of police officials; - the organisation of targeted training by the European Police College (EPC), including the exchange of best practices. The Council gave a very favourable welcome to the proposal to organise a seminar under its auspices in France on safeguarding law and order.
2. Exchange of information in respect of the law on personal data protection. This provides for: - elaboration by the Member State concerned, immediately after trouble occur, of a report on the incidents and then an assessment report; - the use of all legal and technical possibilities allowing for data relating to the perpetrators of violent troubles to be exchanged very rapidly.
3. Measures on the opening up of borders. These initiatives include: - the implementation of distancing measures taken in the context of keeping and enforcing law and order and cooperation for the repatriation of demonstrators expelled; - the use of all legal possibilities existing in Member States allowing persons notorious for troubling public order to be prevented from entering the country where the event is to be held (if there are reasons to believe that they plan to cause trouble).
4. Legal cooperation. Direct cooperation between judicial authorities or other relevant authorities must be facilitated as well as the implementation of means for adequate research allowing for the perpetrators of violent trouble to be prosecuted and judged within the usual lengths of time and in a fair manner.
5. Organisation measures. It will mainly be a question of associating the organisers of demonstrations with the taking of internal security measures.
Ministers, on the other hand, rejected, in the name of defending fundamental freedoms, the proposals by German Interior Minister Otto Schilz to create a European index of troublemakers or to generalise the bans imposed on known rioters to prevent them leaving their country as the date of sensitive events draws near.