The evolution of European Union criminal law (1957-2012)

for some understanding of the first years of Trevi and some review of its structure and
aims. 141
The group focused primarily on practical cooperation between national authorities
adopting an operational and problem-solving approach by focusing on issues such as the
exchange of information and the enhancement of police cooperation in relation to
terrorist incidents, and the exchange of scientific and technical knowledge on police
matters. 142 The House of Commons, for example, defined the task of the group as merely
to “develop cooperation on the ground”, 143 whereas Mitsilegas refers to it as a “looser
mechanism of police cooperation”. 144 As mentioned, Member States’ transnational
cooperation concerns at the time were focused largely on terrorism and on the
facilitation of communication and intelligence between national police forces in order to
implement counter-terrorist practices. In this regard, Trevi encouraged Member States to
“produce reports outlining the experience gained from handling any major terrorist
incident”; “exchange information on their arrangements for handling major terrorist
incidents, particularly at governmental level, to enhance cooperation in the event of an
incident involving more than one country”; “establish contact points for the exchange of
information on international terrorist matters”; and provide and exchange information
on “police technical matters and police training” “…on its present technical and
training arrangements… in these fields.” 145
To this end, two operational working groups of police and security officers were created
in 1976 and focused respectively on the exchange of information on terrorist activity and
the provision of mutual assistance during incidents, and on the exchange of scientific
and technical knowledge on police matters and training. 146 Trevi was further composed
of two more groups at a ministerial and senior official level where Interior Ministry
141 Home Office, “Home Office Circular 153/77: Conference of EEC Ministers of the Interior”, in
T. Bunyan, Key Texts in Justice and Home Affairs (London: Statewatch, 1997) 33-34; The
Circular was issued to Chief Officers of Police in April 1993, it referred to the first Trevi
Conference of EC Ministers of Interior and criminal matters held in Luxembourg in June 1976. It
described the official working groups established as a result of the Luxembourg meeting, and
summarised their initial deliberations.
142 Mitsilegas refers to Trevi as a “looser mechanism of police cooperation” at the very early
origins of Europol, V. Mitsilegas, EU Criminal Law, supra note 14, 162.
143 House of Commons, Home Office Select Committee, “Practical Police Cooperation in the
European Community”, Seventh Report, Session 1989-90 HC363, 1990, 11.
144 V. Mitsilegas, EU Criminal Law, supra note 14, 162.
145 House of Commons, “Practical Police Cooperation in the European Community”, supra note
143, 33-34.
146 See Home Office Circular, supra note 141; See also Home Affairs Select Committee,
“Practical Police Cooperation in the European Community”, ibid., 43.
45