EUROPOL & EUROJUST: Their role in EU Police and Judicial Cooperation 2 day Training Course 7-8 November, 2011 The Hague, The Netherlands Background Since the entry into force of the Amsterdam treaty in 1999, one of the tasks of the European Union is to facilitate police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters among the Member States. With a clear focus on transnational investigations and crimes, the EU s objectives in police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters is to establish and develop strong means of direct cooperation among the police and judicial authorities of the Member States. In order to facilitate cooperation and coordinate action of the Member States, two important agencies have been established, namely Europol and Eurojust, both with headquarters in The Hague, The Netherlands. With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009 the competences of the EU and of its agencies Europol and Eurojust in the fields of police and judicial cooperation have been strengthened. However, it is recognised that member state authorities are not always familiar with knowledge on i) what these agencies can do to help national investigative and judicial authorities to carry out their duties; and ii) on how these agencies actually work. In order to develop and consolidate a genuine European judicial dimension within the Union s Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, it is essential to foster the knowledge of those EU measures adopted to facilitate the cooperation and coordination of police and judicial authorities within the Member States of the European Union. In this perspective, the European Council has called upon the Commission and the Member States to disseminate knowledge on the EU-based instruments devoted to police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters and increase the opportunities of training seminars in the fields of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
The T.M.C. Asser Instituut in cooperation with Europol and Eurojust is organising the third training course EUROPOL & EUROJUST: Their role in EU Police and Judicial Cooperation. Course Objective The main objectives of the course are: To promote cooperation of national judicial and police authorities with Eurojust and Europol in the fight against transnational crime; To foster knowledge on the legal instruments of the EU in the fields of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters; To foster knowledge on the role of the European institutions in the field of criminal justice. Target group The target group of this course consists in: Members of the police forces of the member States of the European Union; Members of the judicial authorities of the member States of the European Union. Course content The course is unique in that it is co-developed with the principle organizations Europol and Eurojust, and it convenes a body of key experts in the field to deliver the programme. Emerging specific issues such as the fight against illegal immigration and the role of FRONTEX and other topics such as the protection of the financial interests of the EU and the cooperation of national authorities with OLAF, the anti-fraud office of the EU will be dealt with. Topics include: Role of the European Union in police and criminal law matters: the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice in the light of the Lisbon Treaty and the Stockholm programme; The role of Europol in promoting a safer Europe: cooperation with the authorities of the Member States; The Europol Information System; The role of Eurojust within the EU s judicial area: promoting mutual recognition Cooperation between agencies how Europol and Eurojust work together Joint Investigation Teams; Cooperation of national authorities, Europol and Eurojust with OLAF; Cooperation with and role of FRONTEX in the fight against illegal immigration; Data protection issues; Defence rights, victims rights and the Europeanization of criminal investigation and trials. 2
Price The price for this training course is 695 Course Location The course will be delivered in The Hague, The Netherlands. The lecture programme will consist of morning sessions at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut - the leading Dutch research institute in the fields of European Law and Public International Law. The afternoon sessions are scheduled at both Europol and Eurojust respectively. Venue: T.M.C. Asser instituut R.J. Schimmelpennincklaan 20-22 2517 JN Den Haag The Netherlands 3
Course Registration Europol & Eurojust: Their role in EU Police and Judicial Cooperation Dates November 7 and 8, 2011 Provider Intended audience Language of instruction T.M.C. Asser Instituut, The Hague, The Netherlands in cooperation with Europol and Eurojust Senior police officers, judges, prosecutors and other civil servants working in the law enforcement sector from the Member States of the European Union. English Course fee 695.- The fee includes course materials and lunch on both days, one dinner and receptions and transport between venues. The fee does not cover (international) travel costs, (hotel) accommodation, insurance or other expenses. 1 Participants must make their own travel arrangements to The Hague. These arrangements are the sole responsibility of each participant. Registration Return the completed registration form to: educationtraining@asser.nl The registration form can be found on http://www.asser.nl/events.aspx Registration deadline Website Contact Early registration is advisable to ensure a place on this course. http://www.asser.nl/ Daphne Kapel T.M.C. Asser Instituut, The Hague Phone: +31 (0) 70 34.20.310 E-mail: educationtraining@asser.nl 1 The T.M.C. Asser Instituut retains the right to cancel the course if there is an insufficient number of participants, without obligation in any way to make compensation. Prospective participants in such a case will be informed as soon as possible. 4
Programme Details Day 1 Monday, November the 7 th, 2011 09.00 09.30 Arrival of participants; coffee & tea 09.30 09.45 Welcome 09.45 10.30 Police co-operation in the light of the Lisbon treaty and the Stockholm Programme: new developments in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. 10.30-11.15 Judicial co-operation in the light of the Lisbon treaty and the Stockholm Programme: new developments in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice 11.15-11.30 Coffee break 11.30 12.15 New scenarios of cooperation for national and EU agencies under the Lisbon treaty: the role of Frontex in the fight against illegal immigration. 12.15-13.00 Europol and Eurojust cooperation agreements with OLAF: promoting effective cooperation among agencies of the EU and of the member states; 13.00-14.00 Lunch 14.00-14.30 Transfer to Europol 14.30 Arrival of visitors; Registration at Security 15.00-16.00 Police cooperation in practice: achievements and new objectives in the light of Lisbon 16.00-16.30 Europol s Legal Framework Data Protection Issues 16.30-17.00 Europol Information System 17.00 17.30 The role of CEPOL in the formation of the police forces of the Union s MSs. 17.30 18.00 Questions 17.30 Transfer to city center And dinner 5
Programme Details Day 2 Tuesday, November the 8 th, 2011 09.00 Transfer to Eurojust (departure from T.M.C. Asser Instituut) 09.30 Arrival of visitors, registration at security and welcome 10.00-10.30 General presentation on Eurojust (focus on New Council Decision on the strengthening of Eurojust) 10.30-11.00 Presentation on cooperation with Europol including Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) 11.00-11.30 Presentation on Counter-terrorism operations 11.30-12.00 Presentation on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) 12.00-12.30 Presentation on the European Judicial Network (EJN) 12.30-13.00 Questions and answers 13.00-14.00 Sandwich Lunch at Eurojust Transfer to T.M.C. Asser Instituut coffee and tee 15.00-15.45 Economic and financial interests of the EU: towards the European Public Prosecutor 15.45-16.30 Data protection and police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters? Legal framework and challenges. 16.30-17.00 Defence rights, victims rights and the Europeanization of criminal investigation and trials. 17.00 Reception at T.M.C. Asser Instituut 6
T.M.C. Asser Instituut The T.M.C. Asser Instituut is, in the first place, a professional, inter-university research centre in the field of Private and Public International Law and European Law; however, the Institute has a much wider role than research alone and is active in various knowledge transfer initiatives with and for the (inter)national sector that reflects this role and encompasses teaching and learning, organisation and strategy development and planning for new and extended provision. In its capacity of education provider, the T.M.C. Asser Instituut offers postgraduate programmes in the different research specializations of the institute. These programmes are offered both at the institute in The Hague itself as elsewhere, as standard modules and by specialized tailor-made courses on demand. Located in the heart of the international justice community, within walking distance of such international organisations as the ICTY, the OPCW, and the Peace Palace (which houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration), the T.M.C. Asser Instituut has organized numerous seminars, summer schools, short courses and lecture series, by itself and in close collaboration with a variety of partners. Europol Europol is the European Union law enforcement organisation which aims at improving the effectiveness and co-operation of the competent authorities in the Member States in preventing and combating terrorism, unlawful drug trafficking and other serious forms of international organised crime, with an emphasis on targeting criminal organisations. Europol, in close co-operation with Member States, Candidate Countries and other law enforcement bodies, is actively involved in the fight against organised crime whilst maintaining full respect for individual integrity and human rights. Eurojust Eurojust is a new EU body to enhance the effectiveness of the competent authorities within Member States in dealing with the investigation and prosecution of serious cross-border and organised crime. Eurojust improves co-operation, in particular by facilitating the execution of international mutual legal assistance and the implementation of extradition requests. 7
Eurojust hosts meetings between investigators and prosecutors from different states dealing with individual cases and at a strategic level and specific types of criminality. The College of Eurojust is composed of 27 senior, experienced prosecutors or judges. Eurojust is the first permanent network of judicial authorities to be established anywhere in the world. 2 The Hague The Legal Capital of the World Since The Hague hosted the world s first Peace Conference in 1899 the city has gradually acquired the title of the Legal Capital of the World. Over the past century, a plethora of international institutions established themselves in The Hague, one of the 4 UN cities. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is probably the best known. The establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague and the presence of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), as well as a number of European institutions such as Europol and Eurojust (concerned with the theme law and security ) act as a catalyst for positioning The Hague as the International centre for justice, peace and security and the most logical national centre for accommodating Think-Tanks for international legal matters. 2 Text and photos of Europol and Eurojust from the website of the European Union 8