EU Issues Council Decision on Security Involving International Football Matches

On April 25, 2002, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision concerning security for international football matches, breaking additional ground in a new, but growing area of international enforcement cooperation. The decision requires each EU Member to establish or designate a national football information police of a police nature and to notify the General Secretariat of the Council in writing of the details of its national football information point. Before, during and after a football event with an international dimension, national football information points must engage, at the request of a national football information point concerned or on its own initiative, in mutual exchange of general information and, subject to the conditions in the Decision, personal data. The Decision is particularly directed at implementing a prior Joint Action and Resolution on preventing and restraining football hooliganism through the exchange of experience, exclusion from stadiums and media policy.