Brussels, 31/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - At the opening of the Member States police chiefs' Task Force meeting (see yesterday's issue of EUROPE p.15), the Belgian Minister of the Interior has requested police chiefs to explain why the level of collaboration between different police forces and the European Office of Police (Europol) is so weak. Antoine Duquesne said to police chiefs that he was, "disappointed by the insufficient use of Europol" and that (in putting the politicians in the clear somewhat) improving collaboration, "did not depend on the decisions of politicians, but of you". He explained that he would be making a report to the two Justice and Home Affairs Councils, under the Belgian Presidency, regarding the participation of each country in Europol, and, "hoped that he wouldn't have to point out the pupils at the back of the class".
At the Justice and Internal Affairs Council on 6-7 December, the Director of Europol will address a report to Ministers, which will focus in large part, on the participation of Member States in Europol. According to one of Europol's Assistant Directors, Gilles Leclair, this report, "will not mince its words" and will have to give an account of what has happened since 11 September and before, as well as outlining in a general way, what the problems are, what can be improved and what remains to be done. Mr Leclair explained to AGENCE EUROPE that the anti-terrorism unit, which Member States decided to create after 11 September, had "already begun", with almost all Member States having sent their experts and that the team should be running at full capacity by 5 or 10 November. Would the existence of the unit and the fall-out from 11 September allow for an improvement in the exchange of information that is lacking due to the lack of co-operation on the behalf of Member States? Gilles Leclair pointed out that, "this is the goal" and since 11 September, there had been an improvement and they should work towards maintaining this "dynamic". He also explained how, "the exchange of information is both a general and sensitive problem, a new phenomenon". In line with this objective, Europol is due to put its data exchange system, together with a general data base, into place by the beginning of January and have it completed during 2002. Another point on which they will have to work is, "co-operation with other bodies". Mr Leclair explained that this co-ordination would take a long time and wouldn't be achieved in a day. (For co-operation with the US, see yesterday's issue of EUROPE pp 14 and 15).