The three databases which hold records on the Union’s criminals

Date: 01/10/1998

By Simon Coss

THE heart of Europol is the agency's powerful computer system which will eventually allow police forces across the Union instant access to a vast amount of personal information on criminal suspects.

The system will actually be made up of three separate databases, each containing a different category of files.

The 'information system' will store basic data on all cases Europol is involved in. It will be accessible by the agency's officers in The Hague as well as by staff working in Europol liaison units in the EU's 15 member states.

The 'analysis system' will hold far more detailed information on specific cases and access to it will be restricted.

“National officers will have to request access on a case by case basis and information will only be made available to people who are actually working on the files in question,” explained one Europol expert.

The third database is the 'index system'. This will have the same access criteria as the information system and will contain generalised information taken from the analysis system. It is designed to be a first stop for officials who may want to request access to more restricted information.

The three central databases in The Hague will eventually be linked to police computer systems in the EU member states via the 15 national Europol units. But the agency's officials admit that this system will not be completely ready until 2001. In the meantime, a semi-automatic 'interim system' will be put in place which will oblige national officials to work through Europol liaison staff.

However, officials point out that when the system is fully operational it will be far more powerful than the similar database used by countries which are signatories to the Schengen free movement agreement.

“The Schengen system just allows states to exchange information very quickly. Europol's computers will actually contain personal data and this has never been done before,” said one agency employee.

Europol staff reject fears raised by civil rights campaigners that their computer system will eventually be directly linked to the Schengen database and the computer files of international police agency Interpol.

“Only the national units will be directly linked to our system. It will not be directly linked to other systems,” said a spokesman for the agency.

But he admitted that it would be possible for other bodies to ask for information from Europol if their requests were approved by EU governments.