Lib Dems Insist on Parliamentary and Court Control of Europol

2.45.00pm GMT Wed 16th Jan 2008

British Liberal Democrat MEPs are leading the battle in the European Parliament to ensure full parliamentary control and judicial supervision of the work of Europol, the EU's police agency.

A draft Council decision up-grades the status of Europol and broadens its competences. While the MEPs are in favour of having a strong EU crime-busting body, and of strong coordination between national police forces, they want to guarantee that Europol will be fully accountable to Parliament and therefore the public, and that the rights of the citizen are protected by the courts.

Andrew Duff MEP, Leader of the UK Lib Dems in the European Parliament, argues that the decision to strengthen Europol should go hand-in-hand with the reforms introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon. He says:

"The Lisbon Treaty gives us the necessary powers to scrutinise and hold to account the activities of Europol. Member States must not be allowed to hurry through the reform of Europol before the new treaty comes into force, thereby denying us and the European Court of Justice the chance to exercise the necessary controls.

"Better to take our time and get the thing right than to blunder in haste. Ideally, the decision should be postponed until the Union is ready to enjoy the vastly improved procedures on offer under the new Treaty."

ENDS