Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime

Summary:

This agreement aims to improve and simplify the automated exchange of information and intelligence between law enforcement authorities of the Member States and Switzerland, in order to stimulate international police cooperation.

Further information:

In June 2016, the Council authorised the opening of negotiations with Switzerland for an agreement on the application of certain provisions of Council Decision 2008/615/JHA on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime, of Council Decision 2008/616/JHA on the implementation of Decision 2008/615/JHA, and of Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA on accreditation of forensic service providers carrying out laboratory activities.

The negotiations were successfully finalised on 24 May 2018 by the initialling of the agreement. On 31 January 2019 the European Commission presented proposals for the signing and conclusion of the Agreement. The signing was approved on 6 June by Council Decision (EU) 2019/1187.

Background:

Council Decision 2008/615/JHA (‘the Prüm Decision’), was adopted in order to incorporate into the legal framework of the European Union the substance of the provisions of the previous Prüm Treaty on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly on combating terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal migration, which was agreed by seven European countries in 2005. The Council also adopted Decision 2008/616/JHA (‘the Prüm Implementing Decision’), which lays down the necessary technical provisions for the implementation of Decision 2008/615/JHA.

Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA lays down the requirements for the exchange of DNA and fingerprint data, in order to ensure that the results of laboratory activities carried out by accredited forensic service providers in one Member State are recognised by the relevant authorities as being equally reliable as the results of laboratory activities carried out by forensic service providers accredited in any other Member State.

Official

EUR-Lex: Official Journal, L187, 12/07/2019: Decision (EU) 2019/1187 on the signing of the Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2019.187.01.0001.01.ENG

EUR-Lex: COM(2019)26: Proposal for a Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Swiss Confederation on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2019:026:FIN

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ESO Records

The integration of the “Prüm Treaty” into EU legislation: Council decision on the stepping up of cross-border co-operation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime https://www.europeansources.info/record/the-integration-of-the-prum-treaty-into-eu-legislation-council-decision-on-the-stepping-up-of-cross-border-co-operation-particularly-in-combating-terrorism-and-cross-border-crime/

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