§ Mr. Denzil DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the judicial co-operation unit of the EU, to be known as Eurojust, to be established. [147164]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe decision to establish Eurojust was taken at the special European Council meeting held at Tampere, Finland in October 1999. The Justice and Home Affairs Council was requested to adopt the necessary legal instrument by the end of 2001.
The objective of Eurojust will be to improve co-ordination and co-operation among national prosecuting authorities, supporting, but not directing, their investigations and prosecutions of serious crime affecting two or more member states.
Negotiations on the draft Council Decision establishing Eurojust are under way. The Government are a full and active participant in these negotiations, supporting the effort to meet the deadline laid down at Tampere.
A Council Decision to establish a Provisional Judicial Co-operation Unit, or "provisional Eurojust", was adopted in December last year. The Provisional Unit will act as a 165W forerunner to Eurojust, and the experience gained through its activities will be used to inform the negotiations on Eurojust. The Provisional Unit will begin its activities early in March 2001.