12.3.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L6727 COUNCIL DECISION 2003/170/JHA of 27 February 2003 on the common use of liaison officers posted abroad by the law enforcement agencies of the Member States THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in parti- cular Article 30(1)(a), (b) and (c), Article 30(2)(c) and Article 34(2)(c) thereof, Having regard to the initiative of the Kingdom of Denmark (!), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (), Whereas: At its meeting of 3 December 1998 the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers adopted 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 (), measure 48 of which states that, within five years of the Treaty's entering into force, action should be taken to promote cooperation and joint initiatives in training, the exchange of liaison officers, secondment, the use of equipment and forensic research. At its meeting in Vienna on 11 and 12 December 1998 the European Council endorsed, in its conclusion 83, the Council and Commission Action Plan on how best to implement the provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam on an area of freedom, security and justice, and in its conclusion 89 it called for a strengthening of action against organised crime in the light of the new possibili- ties opened up by the Treaty. At its meeting in Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999 the European Council invited the Council and the Commission, in close cooperation with the European Parliament, to promote the full and immediate imple- mentation of the Treaty of Amsterdam, on the basis of the Action Plan adopted on 3 December 1998 by the Council of Home Affairs Ministers and endorsed at the meeting of the European Council in Vienna on 11 and 12 December 1998 and of the political guidelines and concrete objectives involving a deepening of police cooperation for the purpose of combating cross-border crime which were agreed in Tampere. () O] C 176, 24.7.2002, p. 8. (¥) Opinion of the European Parliament of 20 November 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () 0] C 19, 23.1.1999, p. 1. (4) (6) (10) At its meeting in Helsinki on 10 and 11 December 1999, the European Council urged the European Union to intensify its efforts at the international level by step- ping up cooperation with third countries in reducing the demand for and supply of drugs, and on justice and home affairs. The European Council also noted that there would be a need for combined efforts by all the relevant authorities, with a particular role for Europol. At its meeting in Laeken on 14 and 15 December 2001 the European Council confirmed, in its conclusion 37, the guidelines and objectives defined at Tampere and also noted that there was a need for new impetus and guidelines to make good delays in some areas. On 14 October 1996 the Council adopted Joint Action 96/602/JHA providing for a common framework for the initiatives of the Member States concerning liaison offi- cers (¥). In the light of experience in applying the Joint Action and in the light of the provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam on combating cross-border crime, coopera- tion amongst Member States on the tasks assigned to, and the posting of liaison officers to third countries and international organisations needs to be strengthened and developed. Insofar as is relevant for performing the tasks defined in the Europol Convention (), Europol will establish and maintain cooperative relations with third countries and international organisations. Europol has established and will continue to establish and maintain cooperative relations with a wide range of third countries and international organisations. Europol needs to be given the necessary support and means to function effectively as the focal point of European police cooperation. The European Council has stressed that Europol plays a central role in cooperation between the authorities of the Member States in investi- gating cross-border crime by supporting the prevention, analysis and investigation of crime at Union level. 68,19.10.1996, p. 2. w N 16, 27.11.1995, p. 2.