Council Decision (EU) 2020/142 of 21 January 2020 on the conclusion of the Protocol between the European Union, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation concerning the criteria and mechanisms for establishing the State responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in a Member State or in Switzerland regarding access to Eurodac for law enforcement purposes

What it is

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Jadwiga WIŚNIEWSKA (ECR, PL) on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Protocol between the European Union, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation concerning the criteria and mechanisms for establishing the State responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in a Member State or in Switzerland regarding access to Eurodac for law enforcement purposes. The committee recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to conclusion of the agreement. The ‘recast’ Eurodac Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. 603/2013) allowed for the consultation of Eurodac by law enforcement authorities for the purpose of prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences and other serious criminal offences. Since 2004, the Agreement between the European Community and the Switzerland concerning the criteria and mechanisms for establishing the State responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in a Member State or in Switzerland also covers the application of the ‘Dublin-related’ parts of Eurodac. This is also the case for Liechtenstein since 2008. PURPOSE: to enable Switzerland and Liechtenstein to participate in the law enforcement components of Eurodac in order to strengthen police cooperation between the competent authorities of the Member States and those of Switzerland and Liechtenstein for the purpose of the prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences and other serious criminal offences. NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2020/142 on the conclusion of the Protocol between the European Union, the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Community and the Swiss Confederation concerning the criteria and mechanisms for establishing the State responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in a Member State or in Switzerland regarding access to Eurodac for law enforcement purposes. CONTENT: the Council decided to approve, on behalf of the Union, the Protocol between the European Union, Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the Agreement between the European Community and Switzerland concerning the criteria and mechanisms for establishing the State responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in a Member State or in Switzerland concerning access to Eurodac for law enforcement purposes is approved on behalf of the Union. It is recalled that the Eurodac Regulation (recast) (EU Regulation 603/2013) allows law enforcement authorities to consult Eurodac for the purpose of the prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences and other serious criminal offences. Since 2004, the Agreement between the European Community and Switzerland concerning the criteria and mechanisms for establishing the State responsible for examining a request for asylum lodged in a Member State or in Switzerland also covered the application of the Dublin related parts of Eurodac. This has also been the case for Liechtenstein since 2008. However, access for law enforcement…

Frequently asked