Criminal matters: mutual assistance between the Member States

OBJECTIVE: to draw up a Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters. CONTENT: the purpose of this draft Convention is to facilitate and improve the efficiency of mutual assistance between the criminal authorities in the Member States in conjunction with the provisions of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters of the Council of Europe (1959), the Schengen legislation and the Benelux Treaty on extradition and mutual assistance (1962). The current draft authorises controlled deliveries, examination of witnesses using video-conferencing and facilitates the circulation of requests for mutual assistance. However, phone-tapping, house-searches and arrest are not included in its scope of application. The present draft Convention will need to be ratified by all 15 Member States in order to enter into force.�