Brussels, 22/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Experts from Member States are continuing work on three options put forward by the Presidency for simplifying the Europol reform process. After a Europol meeting in mid-March, another meeting has been arranged for 9 April. Diplomatic sources explained that the Council decision to replace the Europol Convention was gaining ground but continues to raise a number of legal and Constitutional problems in a number of Member States. The EU is asking national Parliaments to become more involved in the process. Other issues include the possible need to formally repeal the Convention before replacing it with a decision of the Council (the European Commission believes this is an option). There is also the question of whether the rule of qualified majority voting will apply to the implementation decisions. An option still being considered by the EU is whether to keep the Convention as it stands, as an international document, and amend it by a decision of the Council by introducing certain provisions. Diplomatic sources indicated that if this option is chosen, very clear criteria will need to be adopted for choosing the provisions for amendment by a Council decision, as well as those to be adopted for a protocol, given that many provisions are connected and it is necessary that the same amendment avoids impacting on the two procedures. Member States have "almost reached an agreement" on the arrangements for Europol participation in joint enquiries, for which the principle was approved at the last JHA Council (see EUROPE 2 March page 13).