Statewatch, the independent London-based organisation which monitors civil liberties across the EU, is to launch a new centre - Statewatch European Monitoring and Documentation Centre on Justice and Home Affairs in the EU (SEMDC).
Its aim is to prise out of home affairs ministers, and the supporting "K4" committee, information on decisions taken at these Council meetings, as well as information on decisions taken by the Schengen Committee, the body responsible for administrative arrangements to monitor a "Europe without border controls".
In the past, issues covering policing, Europol, immigration and asylum and legal co-operation have been largely discussed behind closed doors. The new organisation already houses a substantial collection of documents and will respond to enquiries by fax or telephone and carry out searches on its own in-house database. Statewatch has just published 60 reports on policing, immigration and asylum adopted in secret by EU justice and home affairs ministers.
Key texts on Justice and Home Affairs. Vol. 1. 1976-1993. From Trevi to Maastricht. £16. ISBN 1874481 067. Further information: Tel; 0181 802 1882, or fax; 0181 880 1727, or Internet; http://www.poptel.org.uk/statewatch