Europol

In adopting the report by Mr Hartmut NASSAUER (EPP, D) Parliament called on the Parliaments of the Member States not to embark upon ratification of the Europol Convention until powers to give preliminary rulings had been conferred upon the European Court of Justice, a matter which should be settled by the European Council in June 1996. It also called on them to ensure that Europol was able to start work as soon as possible. Parliament strengthened the guarantees to citizens concerning the protection of personal data held in Europol files. In particular there should be a ban on the registration of data on political affiliation, religious persuasion, race, sexual behaviour, etc. It opposed the Council's proposal to record this type of data in Europol files and called for an extension of the rights of individuals with regard to the checking of data. It also called for provision to be made for courts and lawyers to check the data, for the time at which data are to be deleted to be determined more precisely and for the actions of Europol to be subject to investigation by the European Ombudsman. Parliament listed a series of points on which it should be consulted pursuant to Article K.6 of the TEU (decision to instruct Europol to deal with terrorist activities, implementing rules for data files, rules for the communication of personal data, activity reports of the joint supervisory body, staff regulations, rules on confidentiality, budget and financial control provisions, interpretation of the Convention, definition of other forms of crime, etc.). It also asked to be consulted on the appointment of the Director and Deputy Directors of Europol and on the main activities of this body. Parliament called for the Convention to be reviewed at a later date, and not two years after its ratification, with a view to examining the transfer to Europol of investigatory powers within the scope of its competences. It called for the operational powers to be given to Europol only if it was subject to the instructions of the Commission and was made accountable to the European Parliament and the national parliaments. Parliament insisted that any revision of the Convention should not take place before the power for the Court of Justice of the Communities to give preliminary rulings was guaranteed. �