Doc. 8472

13 July 1999

Setting up a European urban security office

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Bockel and others

The Assembly,

1.       Stressing that increased crime, violence, juvenile delinquency and anti-social behaviour are fuelling a feeling of insecurity in many European towns and cities;

2.       Considering that the main causes of this situation are persistent unemployment, particularly among young people, changes in the family unit preventing parents from shouldering their responsibilities, social exclusion, the pressure of consumer models, inappropriate housing conditions, insufficient integration of immigrant populations and environmental deficiencies;

3.       Considering that the only possible response to these challenges is concerted action by the main operators concerned, ie governments, local and regional authorities, the police, the courts, social partners, transport companies and voluntary associations;

4.       Appreciating the implementation of new strategies to combat urban insecurity based on improved co-ordination of prevention, repression and solidarity and inducing people to shoulder their civic responsibilities as a positive value, as exemplified by the "Stop la violence" movement launched by young people from problem neighbourhoods in France;

5.       Stressing that towns and cities are the main seedbeds of local democracy, developing the concept of security as a public asset to be protected;

6.       Considering that strong incentives are needed for reinforcing the partnership between the state and local authorities in order to guarantee protection for all, particularly by developing social mediation and conflict settlement procedures and inducing citizens to contribute to the formulation of urban security policies;

7.       Recalling that the proximity strategies which are increasingly being adopted by the police authorities and the courts should be coupled with initiatives to reconstruct the economic, social and cultural fabric of problem neighbourhoods;

8.       Considering that the problems of urban security, which are often linked to the development of drug addiction and new forms of crime (offences committed by children, all types of trafficking and prostitution) should be examined from the angle of the action conducted at the European level, especially by the European Union, which has undertaken to establish a European judicial area;

9.       Stressing the importance of developing exchanges of information and expertise between the towns, cities and communities involved throughout Europe;

10.       Considering the need to implement suitable European training for staff responsible for co-ordinating the multidisciplinary teams combating insecurity on the ground,

Recommends that the Committee of Ministers:

i.       take account of the urgent need for solutions to guarantee security in European towns and cities;

ii.       liaise with the European Union in setting up a European Urban Security Office mandated to:

a. collect and disseminate to the operators concerned data and information on urban security in Europe: reports, pilot experiments, proposals, initiatives, new legislation and regulations, etc;

b. promote training seminars for co-ordinators responsible for leading multidisciplinary teams on the ground;

c. ensure co-ordination with the European bodies responsible for combating organised crime, especially Europol.

Signed:¹

Bockel, France, SOC

About, France, LDR

Baumel, France, EDG

Briane, France, EPP/CD

Dreyfus-Schmidt, France, SOC

Durrieu, France, SOC

Ehrmann, France, LDR

Evin, France, SOC

Hoeffel, France, EPP/CD

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Martínez, Spain, SOC

Mattéi, France, LDR

Mignon, France, EDG

Mitterrand, France, SOC

Nothomb, Belgium, EPP/CD

Popescu, Ukraine, SOC

De Puig, Spain, SOC

Ragnarsdóttir, Iceland, EDG

Ruffy, Switzerland, SOC

Schreiner, France, EDG

Squarcialupi, Italy, SOC

Strizhko, Ukraine, UEL

Wray, United Kingdom, SOC

Zvarych, Ukraine, EDG

¹ SOC: Socialist Group; EPP/CD: Group of the European People's Party; EDG: European Democratic Group; LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group; UEL: Group of the Unified European Left