Report of the Croatian Chair on the Stability Pact fight against Organised Crime (SPOC) meeting

1. The meeting of the Steering Group of the Stability Pact Organised Crime Initiative took place on 11 June 2001 in Zagreb, Croatia. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Dragutin Cestar, Croatian High Representative for SPOC, and Co-chaired by Mr. Bernd Hemingway, Expert in the Office of the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact.

2. After the opening statement by Mr. Cestar, in the first part of the meeting Mr. Hemingway presented the work of SPOC so far. The Chair and Co-chair expressed concern that not all countries of South Eastern Europe fulfilled their obligation to present a gaps analysis of suppression of organised crime activities, particularly taking into consideration that these obligations were agreed upon by the countries themselves, and not imposed from the outside. There was a round table of presentations of gaps-analysis by those countries that have not submitted written reports. The common conclusion was that many countries recognised gaps of similar nature, although different quantity and quality. They can be summarised into three groups: training, equipment, and technical assistance. The findings of the gaps analysis were confirmed by the discussion following the presentations.

3. The countries agreed that the High Level Representatives will, on the basis of the gaps analysis, present a strategy and Action Plan to the Office of the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact by first week of September 2001, and to share the information with the members of the Steering Group and the Advisory and Contact Group. Following this, an extra-ordinary meeting of the Steering Group should take place in September to prepare the SPOC report for the Regional Conference taking place end of October in Bucharest.

4. The importance of questionnaires was reiterated as valuable tools for the Steering Group in the effort to monitor the progress in all countries. Consequently missing questionnaires need to be send. The Council of Europe will be invited to present the out-come of the exercise during the next ordinary meeting of the SPOC Steering Group.

5. The participants appreciated the work done by CEI regarding judicial co-operation, as formulated in the Trieste Declaration. The Steering Group invited CEI to report on the progress of their initiative during the next meeting.

6. Participants invited SECI to propose for Terms of Reference for a possible the Secretariat of SPOC.

7. In second part of the meeting, a proposal for the regional Operational Action by Croatia was discussed. There was overall appreciation of the initiative, with full support given by the countries in the region, Interpol and Europol. The participants recommended to elaborate the proposal in a more focused way with the time-frame to be discussed. The role of SECI in this operation was discussed. In conclusion, countries in the region are invited to confirm their participation in the operation, and their proposals to the Croatian Chair. Interpol, Europol and SECI were invited to support the action, and to report to the Croatian Chair the envisaged support they can give. Croatia will organise a follow-up meeting on expert level to make this activity operational.