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ISSUE OF THE COOPERATION ON HOME AFFAIRS BETWEEN THE USA AND THE EU

the EU and the U.S. would expand customs cooperation to ensure that general

customs control takes due account of security concerns. The EU-US Joint Customs

Cooperation Committee is mandated with finding an appropriate form and content

for documents and measures with a view to continuing to implement intensified

and broadened customs cooperation under the Agreement. On 15 November 2004,

the European Community and the United States adopted, via the Joint Committee,

Recommendations on strengthening the security of themaritime transport of containers

under the Agreement. The adoption of these recommendations contributes to the

full implementation of the EC-U.S. Agreement on ICS. The EU-US Joint Customs

Cooperation Committee suggests that the working group continue to pursue the aim

of mutual recognition and reciprocity of measures and standards.

The EU and the U.S. also recall the close operational partnership leading to

international agreements and working arrangements between the U.S. and Europol,

Eurojust and Frontex, respectively, and the posting of liaison officers at each other’s

diplomatic representations and at Europol and Eurojust.

Cooperation between the USA, Europol and Eurojust grows. Annual crime

specific meetings between relevant U.S. prosecutors and representatives of Eurojust

and Europol serve to increase the effectiveness of cooperation.

The EU-U.S. agreements on extradition and mutual legal assistance and the

conforming bilateral instruments provide for new tools for cooperation between U.S.

police authorities and prosecutors and the EU Member States and Eurojust, such

as the setting up of joint investigation teams (JITs), using video, tele-conferencing

technology to take testimony and providing prompt response to requests on suspects’

banking and other financial services records together with the updated extradition and

mutual legal assistance agreements between the U.S. and individual EUMember States,

these agreements will facilitate and expedite assistance. An EU-U.S. working group

promotes the implementation of the agreements, and seminars are planned to help

practitioners employ the agreements to their fullest and monitor implementation.

The fight against terrorism and transnational crime, law enforcement and information

exchange for law enforcement, protection of personal data, border management, visa

and migration policies have been the major focus of transatlantic cooperation in

recent years.

Several international agreements have been signed since, including a cooperation

agreement with Europol, a working arrangement with FRONTEX, and agreements

on the transfer of passenger name records and the processing and transfer of financial

messaging data.

The US Department of the Treasury’s “Terrorist Finance Tracking Program”

(TFTP) has been instrumental in identifying and capturing terrorists and their

financiers and has generated many leads that have been disseminated for counter