Recommendations & Conclusions
4 items
1
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Cross-border co-operati…
Accepted
We welcome the fact that the UK and EU have agreed a new security partnership as part of the agreement of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. At the time of the inquiry hearings, Brexit had had no discernible operational impact on cross-border policing and the ability to co-operate with partners …
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We welcome the fact that the UK and EU have agreed a new security partnership as part of the agreement of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. At the time of the inquiry hearings, Brexit had had no discernible operational impact on cross-border policing and the ability to co-operate with partners in the EU has been maintained. Before the announcement of the agreement, we had heard concerns that a failure to secure a deal on security could have led to a reliance on cumbersome extradition and intelligence sharing processes. The agreement mitigates these concerns and, importantly, provides a foundation for the continuation of UK and Irish law enforcement agencies’ well developed means of co-operating to maintain the security of the Common Travel Area.
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Government response AI summary
The government reports that cooperation with EU Member States, including Ireland, under the new security arrangements is working well in practice, and it continues to monitor and strengthen existing relationships.
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Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Office
8
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Cross-border co-operati…
Accepted
The UK’s loss of access to SIS II has the potential to create delays in UK law enforcement agencies receiving arrest warrant notices when the location of the suspect is not known, if partner agencies in EU Member States do not routinely enter arrest warrant notices into the Interpol I-24/7 …
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The UK’s loss of access to SIS II has the potential to create delays in UK law enforcement agencies receiving arrest warrant notices when the location of the suspect is not known, if partner agencies in EU Member States do not routinely enter arrest warrant notices into the Interpol I-24/7 database. We would hope that, given the UK’s historical role in Interpol and the demonstrable benefits for pan-European safety and security, this would be something that EU Member States would support and encourage. The Government must set out how it plans to mitigate, limit or eliminate delays in receiving arrest warrants and operational information from EU partners following the loss of access to SIS II. The Government and relevant UK law enforcement agencies must also set out how it plans to encourage partner agencies in EU Member States to enter arrest warrants into the Interpol I-24/7 database to mitigate the operational loss of SIS II. (Paragraph 63) Cross-border information sharing
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Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation, outlining current use of Interpol and bilateral channels, ongoing efforts to encourage EU Member States to use Interpol, and investment in longer-term technical capabilities to enhance Interpol connectivity and expedite information access.
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Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Office
10
Conclusion
Fourth Report - Cross-border co-operati…
Accepted
We are heartened to see an agreement providing for reciprocal transfers of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data. That agreement will help to protect people in Northern Ireland against serious crime and terrorism by allowing UK law enforcement agencies to exchange data on serious criminals with their counterparts in EU Member …
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We are heartened to see an agreement providing for reciprocal transfers of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data. That agreement will help to protect people in Northern Ireland against serious crime and terrorism by allowing UK law enforcement agencies to exchange data on serious criminals with their counterparts in EU Member States as well as enabling UK and Irish law enforcement agencies to share relevant information.
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Government response AI summary
The government states it has excellent bilateral cooperation with EU Member States, including Ireland, on law enforcement and criminal justice, and will continue to consider ways to strengthen these existing relationships and cooperation.
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Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Office
11
Recommendation
Fourth Report - Cross-border co-operati…
Accepted
It is positive that the Government has negotiated successfully an agreement with the EU to provide for reciprocal access to biometric data (and in the future vehicle registration data) of suspected criminals. That will help UK law enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies in connected EU Member States to identify …
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It is positive that the Government has negotiated successfully an agreement with the EU to provide for reciprocal access to biometric data (and in the future vehicle registration data) of suspected criminals. That will help UK law enforcement agencies and law enforcement agencies in connected EU Member States to identify terrorists and organised criminals. The Government should set out if, and how, it plans to use these arrangements to co-operate on sharing biometric data with Ireland in particular.
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Government response AI summary
The government details that it already cooperates on biometric data sharing with Ireland via the Prüm mechanism, with DNA data exchanges in place since March 2020, and is working on implementing vehicle registration data exchanges under the TCA.
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Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Office