Specific programme: Preventing and combating crime (2007-2013)

As part of the General Programme on Security and Safeguarding Liberties, the European Union (EU) is establishing a specific programme for the period 2007-2013 aiming to support projects relating to the prevention of and the fight against organised and non-organised crime.

ACT

Council Decision 2007/125/JHA of 12 February 2007 establishing for the period 2007-2013, as part of the General Programme on Security and Safeguarding Liberties, the Specific Programme "Prevention of and Fight against Crime".

SUMMARY

The programme "Prevention of and Fight against Crime", which replaces the framework programme on police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (AGIS). It is intended to prevent and fight crime, particularly terrorism, trafficking in persons, offences against children, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, corruption and fraud. It consists of four main themes:

• crime prevention and criminology;
• law enforcement;
• protection and support for witnesses;
• protection of victims.

Within these main areas of action, the new programme will in particular:

• develop coordination and cooperation among law enforcement agencies, other national authorities and European Union (EU) bodies;
• promote best practices for the protection of victims and witnesses;
• encourage the methods necessary for strategically preventing and fighting crime and maintaining security, such as the work carried out in the European Union Crime Prevention Network and public-private partnerships.

Even though it does not deal with judicial cooperation, the programme may cover actions aimed at encouraging cooperation between judicial authorities and law enforcement authorities.

Eligible projects and actions

The programme will enable the following to be financed through grants or public contracts:

• projects with a European dimension initiated and managed by the Commission;
• transnational projects involving partners in at least two Member States or at least one Member State and a country which is an acceding or a candidate country;
• national projects within Member States which prepare transnational projects and/or Union actions which complement them, or which develop innovative technologies which can be used in other countries;
• operating grants for non-governmental organisations pursuing on a non-profit basis the objectives of the programme on a European dimension.

Eligible actions are specifically those relating to operational cooperation and coordination, analytical, monitoring and evaluation activities, the transfer of technology and methodology, training, exchange of staff and experts, as well as awareness and dissemination activities.

The programme concerns law enforcement agencies and other private or public actors, including regional and national authorities, social partners, universities, statistical offices and non-governmental organisations, as well as relevant international bodies which participate as partners.

Bodies applying to participate in the programme must have legal personality and be established in a Member State. Organisations which are profit oriented have access to grants only in conjunction with non-profit oriented or state organisations.

From 1 January 2007 this decision replaces the corresponding provisions of Decision 2002/630/JHA (AGIS). Actions started before 31 December 2006 pursuant to that decision continue to be governed, until their completion, by that decision.

Context

The specific programme "Prevention of and Fight against Crime", like the programme "Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism", comes under the framework programme "Security and Safeguarding Liberties" which has a budget of EUR 745 million for the period 2007 to 2013.

RELATED ACTS

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council of 16 June 2011 on the mid-term evaluation of the Framework Programme - Security and Safeguarding Liberties (2007-2013) [COM(2011) 318 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

The report evaluates the implementation of the Securities and Safeguarding Liberties Programme for the period 2007-2009. It shows that the projects supported by the programme have largely produced the expected results: creating new tools and methodologies, disseminating good practice, and increasing knowledge on specific issues. The large majority of the projects concern horizontal methods for preventing crime and cooperation between law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, law enforcement agents are the principal participants in the programme. Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom account for 48 % of the projects. However, the Commission notes a variety of implementation problems and an under-utilisation of appropriations. It proposes to continue the programme until 2013 by improving the procedure for approving grants and the evaluation process.

Commission communication to the Council and to the European Parliament establishing a general programme "Security and Safeguarding Liberties" for the period 2007-2013 [COM(2005) 124 final – Not published in the Official Journal].

Last updated: 08.09.2011