EU cross-border police pursuits blocked

BRUSSELS - EU interior ministers have unanimously agreed to share personal data such as DNA, fingerprints and traffic offences, but blocked the possibility for national police to operate across borders after UK and Irish opposition.

"It will add new dynamism into EU cooperation in security matters", German interior minister Wolfgang Schäuble said on Thursday (15 February), as Berlin's EU presidency received full backing for its proposal to transpose the so-called Prüm Treaty into EU law-books.

The Prüm Treaty is currently a seven-nation pact between Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain operating outside the EU framework.

However, Mr Schäuble underlined that one article of the treaty, which would pave the way for so-called hot-pursuit operations being carried across borders, is to be made an exception.

Article 18 of the Prüm Treaty specifically approves that "in urgent situations, officers from one member state, without the other member states's prior consent, cross the border between the two so that...they can take any provisional measures necessary to avert immediate danger to life or limb."

But the European Commission is set to "look for ways how to overcome some member states' difficulties", EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini said, adding cross-border police cooperation "is a key principal" of the pact.

Prisoners deal

Meanwhile, justice ministers also took one other hot issue off their table as the Germany presidency succeeded in brokering a deal on a transfer of prisoners proposal, which would allow sentenced persons to serve their sentence in their home country or country of residence.

Poland, the only state opposing the agreement, got a five-year derogation from the scheme, despite strong criticism by France and the Netherlands on Warsaw's resistance.

"A Polish citizen sentenced in another member state could be transferred to Poland only with Warsaw' consent", German justice minister Brigitte Zypries said, underlining that the Polish government is particularly worried about its prison capacities and additional expenses, as thousands of its citizens live abroad.

Mrs Zypries said the prison deal was "an enormous step forward for both, society and an individual", as the possibility to transfer a prisoner to their home country means a better chance for their therapy, education and re-socializing.

Border security

Thursday's meeting was meanwhile only a partial success for the EU's border security agency Frontex with 19 out of 29 countries – including non-EU Schengen members - delivering on their promises to provide equipment for security operations.

Eight fixed-wing surveillance aircraft, 13 helicopters and 48 patrol boats were made available, as well as terminal imaging cameras and radars, according to one diplomat.

Italy, Spain, Finland and Germany were listed as most generous, with Greece and Portugal being in the middle. But EU commissioner Franco Frattini declined to name and shame those who failed to table their offers, although the agency reportedly still has only half the equipment it needs.

Instead, Mr Frattini said that he was "confident" he would receive more technical equipment so that rapid border intervention teams will be operational in spring.