Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BRUSSELS2477
2004-06-10 06:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brussels
Cable title:  

EU FAILS TO AGREE ON NEW EUROPOL DIRECTOR

Tags:  PREL CASC KCRM EUN USEU BRUSSELS 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002477 

SIPDIS

DHS FOR IAO, BORDER PATROL
DOJ FOR CRM
ROME ALSO FOR INS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CASC KCRM EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EU FAILS TO AGREE ON NEW EUROPOL DIRECTOR

REF: USEU BRUSSELS 1929

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002477

SIPDIS

DHS FOR IAO, BORDER PATROL
DOJ FOR CRM
ROME ALSO FOR INS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL CASC KCRM EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT: EU FAILS TO AGREE ON NEW EUROPOL DIRECTOR

REF: USEU BRUSSELS 1929

SUMMARY
--------------


1. EU Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)
on June 8 failed to reach the necessary consensus on
who will be the Director of EUROPOL as from July 1,

2004. Ministers reached complete agreement on the
principle of mutual recognition of confiscation
orders. JHA Commissioner Vitorino reported on the
Commission's assessment of the five-year EU "Tampere
program" for creating an area of freedom, security
and justice. The Irish Presidency reported on the
Dublin Conference that launched discussions on the
future EU Drugs Strategy for 2005-2012. Full text
of the JHA conclusions has been forwarded to
EUR/ERA. Counter-terrorism and immigration issues
will be reported SEPTEL(s). END SUMMARY.

NEW EUROPOL DIRECTOR
--------------


2. EU Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs
Ministers at their June 8 Council meeting in
Luxembourg failed to decide who would be the
Director of EUROPOL as from July 1, 2004. The
incumbent, Germany's Jrgen Storbeck, whose term
finishes at the month's end, is seeking a renewal of
his mandate with the backing of his government.
Jacques Franquet, Director of the international and
technical cooperation service in the French police,
is said to be the front-runner but does not attract
the required consensus. Italian officer Emanuele
Marotta is also in the running though some EU
officials say that the race is actually between the
French and German candidates.


3. Irish Justice Minister/Council chair McDowell
told his post-Council press conference -- the last
of his six-month term in office -- the Presidency
would pursue its efforts to secure a resolution of
the issue for the next two weeks. He noted that if
the position remains vacant on July 1, Storbeck's
deputy would take over in an interim capacity in
line with a provision in EUROPOL's statute. Some
observers speculated that the issue might be
referred to EU leaders next week but McDowell did
not raise this prospect, saying that any EU Council
meeting could formalize an agreement before the
month's end. He conceded that failure to fill the
position could affect EUROPOL's credibility. Dutch
Interior Minister and upcoming Council chair Remkes,
obviously unwilling to inherit the problem next
month, went further to describe the Council's
deadlock as "a complete disgrace."


4. Some sources at the meeting said German Interior
Minister Schily consider accepting the French
candidate if the post of Director General for JHA in
the Council (now in Belgian hands) was offered to a
German.

MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF CONFISCATION ORDERS
--------------


5. The Council confirmed its political agreement on
the entire text of a Framework Decision on the
application of the principle of mutual recognition
of confiscation orders. Under this piece of
legislation, a Member State is obliged to recognize
and execute in its territory confiscation orders
issued by a court of another Member State competent
in criminal matters. The body of the draft had been
agreed at the April 29 JHA Council meeting (REF.A).
A certificate annexed to the instrument that will be
used for the submission of requests for recognition
of confiscation orders was subsequently approved at
the level of the EU PermReps, thus enabling the
Council to meet the June 2004 deadline set by EU
leaders for adoption of this measure.

ASSESSMENT OF TAMPERE PROGRAM
--------------


6. JHA Commissioner Vitorino reported on the
Commission's assessment of the five-year EU "Tampere
program" for creating an area of freedom, security
and justice and proposals for future priorities.
The assessment (summary forwarded to EUR/ERA) is
generally positive, noting substantial progress in
most JHA areas while pointing to the institutional
constraints in this area under the current EU
treaties. Irish officials, who were able to record
several achievements over the past few months, made
it clear the identification of future priorities was
a matter for the upcoming Dutch Presidency.

FOLLOW-UP TO DUBLIN CONFERENCE ON DRUGS
--------------


7. The Irish Presidency reported on the Dublin
Conference on "EU Strategy on Drugs - The Way
Forward" held May 10-11 with the aim of providing an
opportunity for Member States to exchange views on
the 2005-2012 EU Drugs Strategy. The Presidency
said it was generally agreed at the conference that
the strategy should be based on a balanced and
multidisciplinary approach, on scientific evidence,
on respect for the EU principles of subsidiarity and
proportionality, and on providing added value in
relation to the activities undertaken at national
level.

SCHNABEL