Justice & Home Affairs Ministers meeting23 March 1994
01 March 1994
Before the meeting of the Council of Justice and Interior Ministers on 23 March began a special session had to be held to consider a written request from the US government for lists of hooligans travelling to this summer's World Cup. The seven countries involved Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Holland and Greece, agreed to set up a sub-committee to consider the question. The handing over of lists however presented a problem to some. Maire Geoghegan Quinn, the Irish Justice Minister, said there would have to be some arrangement "but I don't see us handing over lists".
The meeting itself considered reports on: 1) the Commission's proposal on immigration and asylum: generally welcomed and added to the work programme of steering group 1 of the K4 Committee. Germany and the UK expressed reservations about the sections dealing with "integration"; shutting the borders and expelling illegal immigrants was their first priority. 2) the European Information System (EIS, the EU-wide computer system covering policing, immigration and criminal matters): a draft is expected to be ready for the meeting in June. The outstanding question is whether or not to include more detail on the interface between this convention and that on Europol. 3) Europol: the Convention is still expected in the autumn. No decision was made on the permanent appointments to head the European Drugs Unit. 4) telecommunications: under the rubric of combatting "organised crime" it is planned to use information gained through "tapping" as evidence in court in another state. 5) cooperation on terrorism: a system of liaison officers is to be instituted backed by more systematic meeting and specialist seminars. 6) extradition: discussion of a new convention - one which allows the extradition of nationals and removal of "political" offences - is ongoing. Greece and Portugal, for example, are forbidden by their constitutions to extradite their own citizens. 7) European Convention of Human Rights: the question is whether this can be incorporated by the EU, the problem is that it is not a "state" and therefore cannot be the subject of a legal action. They have asked the European Court of Justice for its opinion. 8) EU fraud: Michael Howard, the UK Home Secretary, attending his first meeting, presented a draft decision on fraud and money-laundering which was "welcomed".
Justice & Interior Affairs Council press release 23.3.94; notes from the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament meeting with Mr Perakis President-in-office of the K4 Committee, 24.3.94; Statewatch contributor.