91999E1843

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1843/99

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(13 October 1999)

Subject: Rising crime on the Costa del Sol (Andalusia, Spain)

In the last few months there has been a sharp rise in crime on the Costa del Sol as a result of the activities of highly organised criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, the white slave trade, etc.

What measures could the Commission take, given that the Treaty of Amsterdam establishes a fresh common policy in an area of freedom, security and justice?

Is Europol responding to this alarming rise in crime, by stepping up its efforts to combat crime on the Costa del Sol?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 1999)

The Spanish authorities have identified 170 groups of organised criminals with a total of approximately 5 200 members operating on their territory. Most of these groups are located on the Mediterranean coast, and organised criminals use the shipping facilities to set up illegal international traffic. More specifically, the Spanish coast attracts a huge yachting set from all over the world and several million tourists each year.

Title VI of the Treaty on European Union, as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam, lays down the provisions on police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters with the objective to provide citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, justice and security through the development of common action among Member States in the fields of police and judicial co-operation. The Commission is fully associated with the work in these areas. The action plan of the Council and the Commission on how best to implement the provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam concerning an area of freedom, security and justice(1), adopted by the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 3 December 1998 in Vienna, provides for a comprehensive and detailed package of measures over two and five-year periods.

The abovementioned action plan comprises also various measures to be taken in the field of police co-operation. As far as the Costa del Sol region is concerned, it is up to the Spanish authorities to transmit the relevant operational data on such criminal organisations to Europol and to ask Europol for further analysis. Basing itself on the appropriate intelligence and analytical results, and following the provisions of Article 30 (ex Article K.2) of the Treaty on European Union, Europol will have, in the future, the authority to initiate concrete investigations on the spot and to create joint investigative teams.

(1) OJ C 19, 23.1.1999.