Brussels, 24/01/2005 (Agence Europe) - Four candidates are applying for Europol management, we learn from European sources. They are: - Deputy Director of Europol Mariano Simancas who has been acting director since the tenure of Jürgen Storbeck at the head of the office came to an end on 30 June 2004; - Emanuele Marotta of Italy, formerly Deputy Director of Europol and already candidate during long and unfruitful discussions on this appointment last year; - Gilles Leclair of France, also formerly Deputy Director of Europol and Head of the French Unit for counter-terrorism coordination; - and M.Ratzel, one of the leaders of the German criminal police (BKA).
Entangled for the past year in discussions on the appointment of a director for Europol, Member States sought to find an agreement during this new round of discussions. Europol's director must be unanimously designated. Bilateral meetings have already begun between the president-in-office of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, Luc Frieden, and his counterparts and should continue in the corridors of the Informal JHA Council from 27 to 29 January. The issue should be on the agenda of the JHA Council on 24 February.
Although they constantly repeat that Europol should be strengthened and better employed, the Member States have left the office without a manager for six months. During July, given the failure of discussions begun early 2004, the Dutch Presidency had launched a new selection procedure (EUROPE of 20 July). The debate, last year, had been mainly Franco-German, with Germany calling for Mr Storbeck's mandate to be renewed, and France pushing forward the candidature of Yves Franquet, Director of France's international and technical cooperation police service. Emanuele Marotta of Italty was the third applicant.
As for the first appointment procedure, the four candidates currently in the running were put on a short list by the European Police Office's board of administration.