Council Decision of 29 April 1999 extending Europol's mandate to deal with forgery of money and means of payment
C 149/16 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 5. 1999 COUNCIL DECISION of 29 April 1999 extending Europol’s mandate to deal with forgery of money and means of payment (1999/C 149/02) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Convention, based on Article K. 3 of the Treaty on European Union, on the establishment of a European Police Office (Europol Convention) (1), and in particular Article 2(2) thereof and the Annex to the Convention mentioned in the said Article, Having regard to the Council Decision of 3 and 4 December 1998 on the principle of instructing Europol to deal with forgery of money and means of payment when Europol takes up its activities, instructing the Management Board of Europol to prepare the Council’s Decision on this issue, Having regard to the preparatory work on this Management Board in particular implications for Europol, issue performed by the Europol regarding the functional, budgetary and staffing Considering the need for a separate decision on the budgetary and staffing implications for Europol, Taking into account the considerable interests of the European Union and its Member States in protecting the euro from any counterfeiting and in effectively preventing related criminal activities, Taking into account, and without prejudice to, the respective roles of Europol, the Commission (Unit on Coordination of Fraud Prevention (UCLAF)) and the European Central Bank, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 As from the date when Europol takes up its activities in accordance with Article 45(4) of the Europol Convention Europol’s mandate shall be extended to include the fight against forgery of money and means of payment. (1) OJ C 316, 27. 11. 1995, p. 1. 28. 5. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 149/17 Article 2 For the purposes of this Decision, the terms forgery of money’ and forgery of means of payment’ shall mean the acts defined in Article 3 of the Geneva Convention of 20 April 1929 on the Suppression of Counterfeiting Currency (1), which applies to both cash and other means of payment. Article 3 This Decision shall enter into force on the day following its adoption. Article 4 This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal. Done at Luxembourg, 29 April 1999. For the Council The President W. MÜLLER (1) Article 3 of the Geneva Convention of 20 April 1929 states: The following should be punishable as ordinary crimes: 1. Any fraudulent making or altering of currency, whatever means are employed; 2. The fraudulent uttering of counterfeit currency; 3. The introduction into a country of or the receiving or obtaining of counterfeit currency with a view to uttering the same and with knowledge that it is counterfeit; 4. Attempts to commit, and any intentional participation in, the foregoing acts; 5. The fraudulent making, receiving or obtaining of instruments or other articles peculiarly adapted for the counterfeiting or altering of currency. ’