Judicial cooperation: creation of a provisional Unit. Initiative Portugal, France, Sweden and Belgium

PURPOSE : to present an initiative of Portugal, France, Sweden and Belgium, on setting up a Provision Judicial Cooperation Unit. CONTENT : the Tampere European Council in October 1999 discussed the setting up of a unit (Eurojust) composed of prosecutors, magistrates or police officers of equivalent competence, to reinforce the fight against serious organised crime. Structural measures to facilitate the coordination of investigations and prosecutions covering the territory of several Member States need to be adopted at Union level without delay. This Decision sets up a "Provisional Judicial Cooperation Unit", which will stand until Eurojust is operating. Each Member State will assign to its Permanent Representation to the Union a prosecutor, magistrate, or police officer of equivalent competence to perform the liaison duties necessary to accomplish the aims of the Unit. These are: -to help ensure proper coordination between the competent national authorities with regard to investigations and prosecutions involving two or more Member States requiring coordinated action; -to facilitate judicial cooperation in criminal matters; -assist the Member States and Council with the negotiation and adoption of the act establishing Eurojust. The Decision will cease to apply when the instrument establishing Eurojust takes effect.�