Council Recommendation

of 13 June 2002

regarding cooperation between the competent national authorities of Member States responsible for the private security sector

(2002/C 153/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Whereas:

(1) The seminars of private security experts held in Madrid from 13 to 17 November 2000 and in Brussels on 6 and 7 September 2001 have submitted their conclusions.

(2) The activities of the private security sector have a bearing on the prevention of crime and the safeguarding of public security.

(3) The stream of information generated by the activities of private security firms is of significance in these fields.

(4) Cooperation between the competent national authorities of the Member States responsible for the private security sector needs to be encouraged and facilitated with regard to the handling of those streams of information,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS that Member States:

1. encourage and facilitate cooperation and collaboration between national authorities responsible for the private security sector with a view to:

(a) exchanging experience in the handling of information supplied by private security firms in accordance with national law, which is material to public security;

(b) establishing best practices in the handling of information which is supplied by private security firms and is material to public security;

2. organise, for the abovementioned purposes at least every two years, a meeting of the national authorities responsible for the private security sector.

Done at Luxembourg on 13 June 2002.

For the Council

The President

M. Rajoy Brey