Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-13-Speech-2-098"
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"en.20011113.7.2-098"2
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"Mr President, I speak on behalf of the my group on the Lehne report. Since the Tampere summit EU governments have been working more closely with each other on justice and home affairs and since 11 September this has become even more apparent.
Since we live in an internal market it is only right and proper that there should be some cooperation and coordination between the Member States. International crime involves very sophisticated structures, but such operations centre on funding of criminal activities. That is why it is important that we enact this legislation, to ensure money laundering does not take place within the EU financial systems. We must ensure that international criminals cannot use existing financial structures in Europe, or indeed elsewhere, to launder their unlawful gains.
The implementation of this directive on prevention of the use of financial systems for the purpose of money laundering is an important element in the battle against international crime. I have always believed that EU legislation in this area should be broadened to include offences other than drug offences. This is exactly what has been achieved here through the agreement between the EU governments and the European Parliament. The directive extends the prohibition of money laundering to organised crime as well as drug offences. Member States will remain free to extend their national anti-money laundering legislation to other forms of criminal activity. As a result of the conciliation agreement, lawyers' professional secrecy will be safeguarded unless the lawyer knows that the legal advice sought is for money laundering purposes.
In a wider context there is agreement at European level to implement the framework directive on permitting the freezing of criminal assets within the EU. The protocol relating to the convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters will also help EU governments when criminal proceedings take place in different Member States.
I support closer cooperation and coordination on justice within the EU, although I would caution governments to look very carefully at any conditions attached to future initiatives. There must be proper procedures to safeguard civil liberties and rights and to maintain the presumption of innocence until proven guilty."@en1
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