European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights: pursuing actions on police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters, Treaty TEU Title VI

The European Parliament decided to postpone the final vote on the report by Magda KÓSÁNÉ KOVÁCS (PSE, HU) regarding the extension of the competences of the Agency to matters covered by Title VI of the TEU (3rd pillar – intergovernmental cooperation.) In doing so, Parliament wished to give the Commission more time to reach a compromise with the Council. Certain Member States favour the proposition that the Agency should deal not only with first pillar issues but also third pillar ones such as police and justice cooperation which includes measures on immigration and counter-terrorism.

Accordingly, Parliament approved the decision of its competent committees and accepted the 43 amendments proposed by the latter on the legislation concerning the establishment of the

Agency. (Please see CNS/2005/0124).  It also rejected by a large majority the proposition of the IND/DEM group to reject the Commission’s entire proposal.

Parliament inserted here a new recital stating that the Agency's remit enables it to provide protection for human rights not only in the field of terrorism and organised crime but also in other fields, such as trafficking in persons, offences against children, illicit drug and arms trafficking and corruption and fraud, where measures can also weaken the effectiveness of the protection of human rights.