27.6.2001 _EN | Official Journal of the European Communities L174/25 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 28 May 2001 establishing a European Judicial Network in civil and commercial matters (2001/470/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Articles 61(c) and (d), 66 and 67(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas: (1)  The European Union has set itself the objective of maintaining and developing the European Union as an area of freedom, security and justice, in which the free movement of persons is assured. (2)  The gradual establishment of this area and the sound operation of the internal market entails the need to improve, simplify and expedite effective judicial cooper- ation between the Member States in civil and commercial matters. (1) OJ C29E, 30.1.2001, p. 281. (%) Opinion delivered on 5 April 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3 0JC139,11.5.2001, p. 6. (3)  The action plan of the Council and the Commission on how best to implement the provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam on an area of freedom, security and justice () which was adopted by the Council on 3 December 1998 and approved by the European Council on 11 and 12 December 1998 acknowledges that reinforcement of judicial cooperation in civil matters represents a fundamental stage in the creation of a European judicial area which will bring tangible benefits for every Euro- pean Union citizen. (4 One of the measures provided for in paragraph 40 of the action plan is to examine the possibility of extending the concept of the European Judicial Network in criminal matters to embrace civil proceedings. (5)  The conclusions of the special European Council held at Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999 recommend the establishment of an easily accessible information system, to be maintained and updated by a Network of com- petent national authorities. (6) In order to improve, simplify and expedite effective judicial cooperation between the Member States in civil and commercial matters, it is necessary to establish at Community level a network cooperation structure — the European Judicial Network in civil and commer- cial matters. (* 0JC19,23.1.1999, p. 1.