newsletter November 2015

STRENGTH THROUGH UNITY FOR SECURITY “Strength through unity for security” was one of the most important points of emphasis during the Belgian Presidency of the . Everyone familiar with my policy knows that I put top priority on security. Because crime knows no borders, it is simply logical that we - certainly as neighbouring countries – focus on cross- border cooperation.”

Jan Jambon, Belgian Minister of Security and the Interior, chairman FIRST IN SECURITY of the Benelux Committee of Ministers for Security The Benelux cooperation isn´t just developing between the Benelux countries that make it as an internal market: since the launch of the an absolute trendsetter in security policy. The Schengen zone, the Benelux Union has also joint security approach to the European become increasingly active in the area of Football Championship Euro 2000 was highly internal security and justice. These themes successful, but it also demonstrated that touch on the hard core of national sovereignty. goodwill alone is not enough. It has to be The world is globalising at a rapid pace. supported by strong agreements and treaties Mobility and the means of communication as well. The 2004 Benelux Treaty on Police have increased enormously over the past Cooperation was trail-blazing here. The Prüm twenty years, and everyone can freely use Convention and the Swedish framework these possibilities - including criminals and decision were then additional major steps fraudsters. Efforts to deal with these new forward on the European level. forms of criminality quickly run up against the old national borders. Citizens and companies Society never stands still, however. New social are demanding that the government maintain problems and novel security phenomena a safe environment, but this can no longer be require that governments stay dynamic and done exclusively within a single country. innovative, and the Benelux countries remain There exist worldwide initiatives, such as the test laboratory par excellence. They are Interpol. Since the , the open societies and economic centres where is also competent for internal the national borders are always nearby. The security and justice. Sharing these powers trend is to increase the existing agreements

Responsible publisher across the border firstly demands a great deal on maintaining order and expand them to the Dr J.P.R.M. van Laarhoven of trust between government authorities and judicial and administrative approach. In this Benelux General Secretariat the actors in the field. newsletter you will find both the political Regentschapsstraat 39 1000 Brussels background and the concrete projects that [email protected] It is the many years of determination to work the Benelux countries wish to pursue together www.benelux.int together and the trust that has developed - for a safer region and a better Europe. 2 • November 2015

POLICE COOPERATION

BENELUX TREATY ON the importance of the investigation, CROSS-BORDER POLICE questions about the right of ownership on COOPERATION information, etc. To facilitate this, a Benelux The Benelux treaty on cross-border police brochure on autonomous police information cooperation entered into effect on 1 July exchange is being updated in 2016. 2006. Since then it has led to an intensive exchange and collaboration between the PREVENTING AND three countries, ranging from jointly fighting COMBATTING RADICALISM cross-border crime to accompanying one Preventing and combatting violent country’s own sports supporters while radicalisation and terrorism are major policy on another country’s territory. For the priorities of our three countries. These population and police officers, the presence priorities are shaped on the local, national of police officers from a neighbouring country and international levels. In this respect, the on their own territory is increasingly coming cross-border aspect receives special attention to be accepted as normal. in the Benelux, given that terrorism very often has a cross-border dimension. For INFORMATION EXCHANGE example, the Benelux countries initiated the IN THE BORDER REGION European COPPRA project (Community Exchange of information is one of the most Policing Preventing Radicalisation and important aspects of police cooperation. Terrorism), a project that focuses on early This exchange is naturally subject to detection of signs of radicalisation by police limitations and rules, given privacy legislation, officers. Newsletter• 3

JUDICIAL COOPERATION

HUMAN TRAFFICKING dishonourable desire to “win” at all costs, but Human trafficking is a global phenomenon the greatest danger comes from match-fixing that affects virtually every country in the for financial gain, and the digitisation and world. It primarily involves sexual or globalisation of betting has enormously economic exploitation, but other forms of increased the possibilities for fraud. The exploitation (such as organ trafficking) also objective is to facilitate the exchange of form part of the problem. A multidisciplinary experiences and promote collaboration. approach is therefore imperative. Human trafficking frequently also has a cross-border dimension, whether or not between Benelux countries. When this is the case, it is naturally of the greatest importance to know the working methods, rules and policy of the neighbouring country. In order to clarify this, the Benelux recently published a brochure on human trafficking, a guide that presents a network of contact points enabling the experts to work together efficiently on a particular file with colleagues in a neighbouring country. MATCH-FIXING ‘Match-fixing´, manipulation of the results of sporting contests, is a major threat to the integrity and credibility of sports. The underlying motivation might be simply a

CRISIS MANAGEMENT – HANDLING DISASTERS The Benelux Memorandum on crisis The public safety reforms, with the management cooperation with a cross- introduction of the Dutch security regions, border character has existed for a decade the entry into force of Belgian assistance now. Since its entry into effect, the three zones and the initiated reform of the countries have been working together closely security policy are at the heart on the strategic level of the crisis centres, but of the discussion right now. Information flows also on the operational level (namely via the remain another important point of attention. 112 control rooms) and in the field via the An agreement was signed on 4 March 2015 by emergency services. This initiative derives and the on air support from the determination to coordinate actions in case of fire on nature sites (in practice this on the local, national, Benelux and European was tested via an exercise on November 19th). levels. The Benelux cooperation platform In addition, numerous information sessions that was set up within this framework makes were organised in 2015 where local and it possible to exchange expertise and national governments focused on the safety experiences, more specifically with respect of the nuclear power plants. to identifying risks, providing information to the population, sending contact persons to the affected countries in order to facilitate information exchange in the case of cross- border consequences. 4 • November 2015

FUTURE, CHALLENGES, NEW PROJECTS “We have to give new UPDATING THE BENELUX CYBERSECURITY impulses to further POLICE TREATY Cyberspace of course offers very many optimise our collaboration, The Benelux countries are working on advantages, but it also makes us vulnerable including by updating the updating the Benelux Police Treaty. In so to cybercrime. This form of criminality is Benelux Police Treaty. We doing, they are verifying what adaptations expanding at a spectacular pace and affecting also have to promote the are desirable and necessary in order to economic, financial and social as well as military administrative approach to further intensify and strengthen the police interests. Consequently, the protection of crime, and a first step will cooperation, with the objective of expanding information and communication technology be to address the problem the possibilities and simplifying procedures. and vital infrastructure, as well as the of criminal motorcycle Amongst other things it covers the regulation safeguarding of personal data, constitute one gangs.” of authorities, exchange of information, cross- of the greatest challenges of our age. It is up border investigative powers and cross-border to every country to respond to this challenge Jan Jambon, pursuit and observation. and to make decisions on the adequate level Belgian Minister of Security of security. The countries are developing for and the Interior, chairman this a general strategy on cybersecurity, of the Benelux Committee of ADMINISTRATIVE setting up Cyber Security Boards and putting Ministers for Security APPROACH TO ORGANISED CRIME together Computer Emergency Response Organised crime can be fought most effectively Teams (CERTs). An operational collaboration is by a well-organised government, ideally in a now being established between the national cross-border context. Good cross-border CERTs of the three countries. One of the cooperation, harmonisation and, if possible, agreements reached has been to implement information exchange between the judicial, better communication and collaboration police and administrative authorities, in short between the three government CERTs of the an integrated, cross-border approach, can be Benelux countries. of great added value in combatting organised crime. The Benelux countries are therefore working to promote the administrative approach to organised crime in the Benelux and they are following up the declaration of intent on the administrative approach to organised crime. In so doing, the partners wish to exchange best practices and make local administrations more aware of the possibilities of the administrative approach to organised crime. 4TH SENNINGEN ACTION PLAN Since 2007, the Benelux cooperation on internal security has been guided by the Senningen action plans. The third action plan 2013-2016 is composed of two major parts: 1) police and security and 2) crisis and disaster management.

In 2016 an assessment will be conducted of the collaboration over the past four years and a new Senningen plan will be drafted that defines the joint internal security objectives for the years 2017-2020.

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