Council Decision 2005/671/JHA of 20 September 2005 on the exchange of information and cooperation concerning terrorist offences

By means of this decision, the European Union reinforces police and judicial cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism more effectively. In particular, it aims to improve the exchanges of all relevant information between the operational services responsible for combating terrorism.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, European Union countries repeatedly reaffirmed their desire to combat all forms of terrorism. For instance, they undertook to reinforce cooperation between the organisations responsible for combating terrorism, such as Europol, Eurojust and the national police services.

On 19 December 2002, the Council adopted Decision 2003/48/JHA on the implementation of specific measures for police and judicial cooperation to combat terrorism in accordance with Article 4 of Common Position 2001/931/CFSP. Faced with the need to widen the scope of information exchanges, the Council adopted this decision to extend information exchanges to all stages of criminal proceedings, including convictions, and to all persons, groups or entities investigated, prosecuted or convicted for terrorist offences (as defined in Decision 2002/475/JHA).