Brussels, 04/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Police Office, Europol, signed or will have signed four co-operation agreements this week with Slovenia (Monday), Poland (Wednesday), Hungary (Thursday) and Estonia (Saturday). These agreements are the first to allow for operational co-operation between Europol and candidate countries. Europol will now be able to exchange information with the police of those countries, in all areas under its competence (money laundering, combating terrorism, drug trafficking…). The agreements will not, however, have immediate effect. A French "parliamentary reservation" indeed prevented their being approved by last Thursday's Justice and Home Affairs Council. The agreements will thus only take effect once the French parliament has examined them. French sources hope that this will take place in November.