Scheveningen (Netherlands) -30/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - The question of information exchange between intelligence services of Member States was much debated at the first discussion session of the JHA informal Council on Thursday at Scheveningen. At the end of the meeting Piet Hein Dutch justice minister said that they all agreed on the urgency of facilitating information exchange between countries while taking account of data protection. If the agreement on the general objective is quite general, implementation is controversial, with information exchange difficult between the different services of Member States. The Dutch presidency is proposing that Member States make commitments to making overall data bases accessible of their law enforcement services to all Member States by 2008. The presidency would also like this commitment to be made in the multilateral programme for justice and home affairs that the European Council is expected to adopt on 5 November.
A diplomat underlined that it was a long term question. Dominique Perben French miniser for justice said that they supported in principle information exchange but wanted mechanism for making information exchange safe before implementation, such as a guarantee for their quality, security of distribution. The same thing went for intelligence, he explained. Several ministers, including Otto Schily, highlighted the importance of common rules before making the link between data bases. The United Kingdom and Sweden opposed a central European base, which has not been proposes for the time being, Commissioner Vitorino pointed out.
Practical and legal difficulties are being felt. The European Commission is holding back on a proposal which it is preparing on information exchange between law enforcement systems. This proposal, like that for files on passengers flying to the European Union, will not be ready till 2005, indicated Community sources. The European Commission, however, immediately announced these two proposals proposed for June, then July (EUROPE 17 June). Vitorino declared at a press conference that a legal base was needed as well as operational mechanisms for information exchange between Member States. Ministers moved forward, on a file by file base relating to the Dutch proposals.