{
  "id": "RL31509",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31509",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
  "versions": [
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      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 101326,
      "date": "2004-10-15",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T20:06:31.892720",
      "title": "Europe and Counterterrorism: Strengthening Police and Judicial Cooperation",
      "summary": "The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States gave new momentum to European\nUnion (EU) initiatives to combat terrorism and other cross-border crimes such as drug trafficking,\nhuman trafficking, and financial fraud. For many years, EU efforts to address such challenges were\nhampered by national sovereignty concerns, insufficient resources, and a lack of trust among law\nenforcement agencies. However, the terrorist attacks and the subsequent revelation of Al Qaeda cells\nin Europe changed this status quo as it became increasingly evident that the EU's open borders and\ndifferent legal systems allowed terrorists and other criminals to move around easily and evade arrest\nand prosecution. Thus, EU officials renewed their efforts to harmonize national laws and bring\ndown traditional barriers among member states' police, intelligence, and judicial authorities. As part\nof this initiative, the EU has also sought to enhance ongoing cooperation with U.S. law enforcement\nand judicial authorities so that information can be meaningfully shared and suspects apprehended\nexpeditiously.\n  The March 11, 2004, terrorist bombings in Madrid, Spain, injected a greater sense of urgency\ninto EU efforts to boost police and judicial cooperation within the EU and improve EU external\nborder controls. Despite the EU's progress, however, the Union faces a number of political, legal,\nand cultural hurdles as it seeks to introduce more effective law enforcement tools. For example,\nsome member states were slow to implement the EU-wide arrest warrant -- which eliminates\nextradition proceedings among member states for 32 offenses, including terrorism -- and other EU\nlegislative instruments to counter terrorism. National police and intelligence services remain\nreluctant to share information. Contentious issues such as the use of the death penalty in the United\nStates and different data protection regimes have also posed challenges at times to more robust\nU.S.-EU cooperation.\n  The 9/11 Commission recommended that the United States \"should engage other nations in\ndeveloping a comprehensive coalition strategy against Islamist terrorism;\" the House and Senate\nhave passed intelligence reform legislation ( H.R. 10  and  S. 2845 ) with\nelements that seek to enhance international cooperation against terrorism. The Bush Administration,\nbacked by Members of Congress, supports EU efforts to strengthen its counterterrorism capabilities,\nand welcomes initiatives aimed at complementing and improving existing bilateral cooperation\nbetween U.S. and EU member states' intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The United States\nhas concluded two information-sharing agreements with Europol, signed two treaties with the EU\non extradition and mutual legal assistance, and has been working to improve cooperation with EU\nborder control officials. Some critics question, however, whether U.S.-EU-wide cooperation will\nadd much value to existing bilateral law enforcement relationships.\n  This report will be updated as events warrant. Also see  CRS Report RL31612(pdf) ,  European\nCounterterrorist Efforts: Political Will and Diverse Responses in the First Year After September\n11 ,\ncoordinated by Paul Gallis.",
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    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc820498/",
      "id": "RL31509_2004Aug23",
      "date": "2004-08-23",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "Europe and Counterterrorism: Strengthening Police and Judicial Cooperation",
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    },
    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc820334/",
      "id": "RL31509_2002Jul23",
      "date": "2002-07-23",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "Europe and Counterterrorism: Strengthening Police and Judicial Cooperation",
      "summary": null,
      "type": "CRS Report",
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  "topics": [
    "European Affairs",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Intelligence and National Security"
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