MEPs dicuss the regulation on automated data exchange for police cooperation, which is part of the 'EU police cooperation code' package. Opening statements by Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Author and Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

RANGEL, Paulo (EPP, PT)

Police cooperation (T2)

JOHANSSON, Ylva (SE, EC)

Automated data exchange for police cooperation: opening statements by Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Author and Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, Thank you, President. Dear Commissioner. Tomorrow we will vote on an agreement which was achieved in December with the Council from the Regulation on Automated data exchange for police cooperation. This is known as Pr&uuml;m II.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, Now, I would like to start by by thanking all of those colleagues who have been involved in the Parliament's negotiating team. I would like to thank the Commissioner Johansson and both the Spanish and Swedish presidencies for all their hard work. I'd also like to thank the entirety of the team the Secretariat from the Parliament and the different offices from the MEPs. But everyone has been involved and as in allowing us to move forward with this change.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, Prü II will allow us the possibility to exchange criminal data, biometric data, DNA, vehicle data in a semi automatic manner between competent authorities for law enforcement in different countries. This will be done by a hit, no hit system.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, So therefore we will be given national law enforcement bodies the possibility to know in a more efficient and faster manner if other member states or Europol hold data which are linked to an ongoing criminal investigation. According to Europol, over 60% of criminal organisations are present in over three different member States.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, Now we all know that in our union many, many people disappear. This is therefore absolutely vital for police cooperation within the European Union to use this data. And this data is used on a daily basis to fight terrorism and drug trafficking and a range of other crimes.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, 'The previous system that  access to the data, for example, DNA or fingerprints was possible, but it took a long time and it's bilateral . With this reform, we are seeing data being compared and it's no longer done in a bilateral manner. It's now done via a semi-automatic system.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, This allows entry for all member states, given that two national databases will be interlinked via a central hub. So it won't just be connected from one to the other, but they'll be connected together. Now this will have a significant impact in the fight against criminality. It also brings more guarantees for protection of privacy, fundamental rights, human rights, because it guarantees the anonymity of data and also ensures a human oversight to this also monitoring of these processes, of exchange of information.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, What I want to say is absolutely vital to respect to European law and national law when it comes to data protection. This data gathering is only ever done for prevention, detection or investigation of a crime, and the data can only be used for those ends. As such, I'd like to say this extremely clearly from two is a major step forward. It's a leap forward for police work. It's also a major leap forward for defence of human rather fundamental rights. It's a win win situation.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, We have a criminal procedure which will be more efficient so we can have faster investigations. We'll also have a high level of protection of fundamental rights, a significant step forward compared to what we had up until now. We need to ensure safe and secure places for citizens. We need to ensure that police can work effectively. But with respect for fundamental rights, and this is of vital and the police in my country are being face in discrimination in my country. And I'm my solidarity with them as well.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paulo RANGEL (EPP, PT), Rapporteur, There's also space for member states to look at borders when there is a major threat as well. So Schengen also benefits from this system and I hope the system can be implemented as soon as possible. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, President. Honourable Members. Mr. Rapporteur Paulo Rangel. Organised criminal networks are a severe threat towards our societies. Last year more than 600 explosions in the Netherlands alone. In Sweden. Last year 350 criminal shootings killing 53 people and more than 300 children aged 15 to 17 charged with murder or attempted murder in Sweden alone.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Child soldiers in a drugs war. Children killing children. Imagine those terrorist shootings, terrorist bombs, terrorist killings. To me, it's clear. Organised crime is as big, big a threat to society as terrorism. We have to counter this threat with all the means at our disposal.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, We have achieved much more on security than we intended four years ago when we started this mandate. Most most recently, the Commission launched the European Ports Alliance, a public private partnership in the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, A key step was the new mandate we gave Europol a new mandate to meet the new challenges of our time to better support Member States police. Because police cooperation and information exchange are at the heart of the fight against organised crime. After all, it takes a network to fight a network, and that is also why I welcome the agreement by Parliament and Council on the updated prime net framework.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, This is the third and final pillar in our police cooperation package after the Council recommendation on operational police cooperation and a directive on law enforcement information exchange. Prüm is an important tool for police officers on the ground to check if a suspect in front of them is known for crimes in other member states and essential to stop dangerous criminals.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Some examples. After a knife  attack in the Hague, police found DNA on the knife. A shake showed French police had matching DNA on record, allowing the suspect to be arrested. After robberies of cash machines in Estonia. Police found DNA on the scene. A shake showed several member states had matching profiles. The criminal group could be dismantled and the leaders arrested.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, 'Or petty thefts against tourists in France. A check for fingerprints revealed the pan-European Organised Crime network that was also involved in a much more serious crime of trafficking in human beings.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, We have now modernised the 15 year old Prüm framework with the Prüm II, to speed up an improved police information exchange and bring it up to date. Now police still has to make checks against all other member states databases. In the future, police will only have to make one single check covering all member states thanks to a new central router.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, And we are also making new kinds of checks possible. Today, police can already check if there are hits on fingerprints, car number, plates and DNA. In future, police will also be able to check for hits on police records and facial images. Thanks to this agreement. And that is an important update, not only to catch criminals, but also to find missing people, missing children.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Because in the last 15 years, digital photos have become much more important in police investigations. All often facial images are the only leads police have. Other essential update. Europol would take part in the data exchange. This is essential because Europol is at the heart of police cooperation in the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, I would like to especially thank the rapporteur, Paulo Rangel, and the shadows for their work. I thank Parliament and Council for reaching this balanced compromise. A game changer for law enforcement. Tomorrow, when you vote on this will be a good day for citizens and a bad day for criminals. Tomorrow, your vote will make Europe a safer place and you can be proud of that. Thank you.