The European Parliament, on 24 November, rejected four proposals by the Council to reform Europol, the European Police Office.

The MEPs did not, however, oppose the strengthening of the agency for cooperation between national police forces. But they scuppered the Council’s plan, which was to adopt a new decision (planned for the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 29-30 November) before the Lisbon Treaty comes into effect, on 1 December. This would indeed be a difficult sleight of hand to perform, given that the new treaty will give MEPs co-decision power in this area.

The deputies are therefore asking the Council to retract its proposals and to formulate new ones in six months. However, according to the correct procedure for Council proposals, they have no ability to block them.

“EMBARRASSING”

“This rush by the Council is embarrassing,” said Sophie in’t Veld (ADLE, Netherlands) during the debate. She is the rapporteur on the implementing rules governing Europol’s relations with partners. On the proposal concerning the implementing rules on the work dossiers and analysis of Europol, Agustín Díaz De Mera García Consuegra (EPP, Spain) stated that the European Parliament should be clearly involved in the decision making. n