Brussels, 27/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - Following the EU Permanent Representatives meeting on Wednesday, the adoption by Thursday's JHA Council of the framework-decision on recognising and implementing orders to freeze assets now all depends on Italy's attitude, indicate EU sources. Italy's minister will have to say whether or not he will agree to the declaration proposed by the Presidency (that focuses on the respect of the principle of proportionality between a crime, its economic impact and the subject of the injunction) or if he will hold out for a country to be able to refuse to implement an order should it feel that the order might damage its vital interests. The other Member States are reported to agree on the document but some of Italy's partners are unhappy that the European arrest warrant is proving so difficult to adopt. COREPER also looked at other aspects of the JHA Council (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.10 and 23 February, p.8).
EU/US Judicial co-operation agreement. The EU will ask the Presidency to provide details of its draft negotiating mandate, hoping to be able to adopt it at the 25 April JHA Council. Meanwhile, contacts will continue with the United States in this connection.
Europol. The Council is expected to confirm that the EU is prepared to authorise Europol to take part in joint investigations in the future and also to request that Member States launch investigations. The Council will debate the issue of simplifying the Europol Convention amendment process.
European Police College. The European Police College will have its headquarters in Denmark, on a provisional basis. The College was created by the December 2000 Council with the initial aims of organising the networking of national police academies for training high level police officers. It has not yet been given any legal status or a headquarters and is expected to be located in he Danish police college while the EU decides between Bramshill (near London) in the UK, Rome (Italy), Madrid (Spain), Vienna (Austria) and Lyons (France). France, Germany and Sweden have launched common training projects under the aegis of the College.