PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the EU and Iceland and Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the EU and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2012/305/EU on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

BACKGROUND: on 19 December 2002, the Council authorised the Presidency, assisted by the Commission, to open negotiations with Iceland and Norway a view to the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

In accordance with Decision 2004/79/EC, the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention was signed on 19 December 2003, subject to its conclusion.

The Agreement has not yet been concluded. With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009, the procedures to be followed by the Union in order to conclude the Agreement are governed by Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

It is now necessary to approve the Agreement on behalf of the EU.

CONTENT: under this Decision, the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto is hereby approved on behalf of the Union.

To recall, the purpose of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters is to encourage and modernise cooperation between judicial, police and customs authorities by supplementing the provisions and facilitating the application of the 1959 Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, and its 1978 Protocol, the 1990 Convention applying the Schengen Agreement and the Benelux Treaty of 1962.

The convention is supplemented by a Protocol established by the Council which provides for supplementary measures such as requests for information on banking transactions in order to combat crime in general and organised crime in particular.

Territorial application : the UK and Ireland have notified their wish to take part in the adoption and application of this Decision. Denmark is not taking part in the adoption of this Decision and is not bound by it or subject to its application.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: the Decision shall enter into force on 07.06.2012. The date of entry into force of the Agreement will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The European Parliament adopted by 641 votes to 10, with 21 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs unanimously adopted the report by Claude MORAES (S&D, UK), and recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Iceland and the Kingdom of Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the EU and Iceland and Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: this proposal aims to conclude, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement between the EU and Iceland and Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

The Agreement was signed on 19 December 2003 but it has not yet been formally concluded. For details of the content of the Agreement, please refer to Council document 14938/2003 .

With the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, the procedures to be followed by the Union in order to conclude the Agreement are governed by Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) which states that the Council shall adopt a decision concluding the agreement, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament .

Territorial application : i n accordance with the Protocol on the Position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, these Member States have notified their wish to take part in the adoption and application of this Decision. Denmark will not be bound by the Agreement.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the EU and Iceland and Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: this proposal aims to conclude, on behalf of the Union, the Agreement between the EU and Iceland and Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

The Agreement was signed on 19 December 2003 but it has not yet been formally concluded. For details of the content of the Agreement, please refer to Council document 14938/2003 .

With the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, the procedures to be followed by the Union in order to conclude the Agreement are governed by Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) which states that the Council shall adopt a decision concluding the agreement, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament .

Territorial application : i n accordance with the Protocol on the Position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, these Member States have notified their wish to take part in the adoption and application of this Decision. Denmark will not be bound by the Agreement.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the EU and Iceland and Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the EU and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: the objective of the above-mentioned Agreement is to improve judicial cooperation in criminal matters between the Member States of the EU and Iceland and Norway by applying certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol to Iceland and Norway. The Agreement was signed in 2003, but has not been concluded and has not entered into force.

The purpose of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters is to encourage and modernise cooperation between judicial, police and customs authorities by supplementing the provisions and facilitating the application of the 1959 Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, and its 1978 Protocol, the 1990 Convention applying the Schengen Agreement and the Benelux Treaty of 1962.

The convention is supplemented by a Protocol established by the Council which provides for supplementary measures such as requests for information on banking transactions in order to combat crime in general and organised crime in particular.

Procedure : following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009, the procedures to be followed for the conclusion of the Agreement are governed by Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Agreement was signed already 6 years ago and therefore it should now be concluded as soon as possible. It is for this reason that the Commission proposes to conclude the Agreement. It recommends that the Council, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament, adopt a decision concluding the Agreement. It should be noted that in accordance with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, it is provided that in the case of agreements covering fields to which the ordinary legislative procedure applies, the Council shall adopt a decision concluding the agreement, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament .

Territorial application : the UK and Ireland will take part in the adoption of the Decision. Denmark will not be bound by the Agreement.

PURPOSE: to conclude the Agreement between the EU and Iceland and Norway on the application of certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the EU and the 2001 Protocol thereto.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

CONTENT: the objective of the above-mentioned Agreement is to improve judicial cooperation in criminal matters between the Member States of the EU and Iceland and Norway by applying certain provisions of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between Member States of the European Union and the 2001 Protocol to Iceland and Norway. The Agreement was signed in 2003, but has not been concluded and has not entered into force.

The purpose of the Convention of 29 May 2000 on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters is to encourage and modernise cooperation between judicial, police and customs authorities by supplementing the provisions and facilitating the application of the 1959 Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, and its 1978 Protocol, the 1990 Convention applying the Schengen Agreement and the Benelux Treaty of 1962.

The convention is supplemented by a Protocol established by the Council which provides for supplementary measures such as requests for information on banking transactions in order to combat crime in general and organised crime in particular.

Procedure : following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009, the procedures to be followed for the conclusion of the Agreement are governed by Article 218 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Agreement was signed already 6 years ago and therefore it should now be concluded as soon as possible. It is for this reason that the Commission proposes to conclude the Agreement. It recommends that the Council, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament, adopt a decision concluding the Agreement. It should be noted that in accordance with Article 218(6)(a) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, it is provided that in the case of agreements covering fields to which the ordinary legislative procedure applies, the Council shall adopt a decision concluding the agreement, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament .

Territorial application : the UK and Ireland will take part in the adoption of the Decision. Denmark will not be bound by the Agreement.