The British parliament scored a minor public relations victory

Date: 12/12/1996

this week by becoming the first to ratify the Europol Convention. The move was seen as ironic given that other EU countries blamed the length and difficulty of negotiations over the convention on the UK's refusal to accept preliminary judgements by the European Court of Justice. The European Commission expressed hope that other countries would follow suit as soon as possible. “The creation of Europol is essential in the improvement of police cooperation in Europe,” said a spokeswoman for Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Anita Gradin.