AUSTRIA AND TREVI
Although not a formal member of TREVI, Austria is intensifying its cooperation with the group. The informal cooperation takes place outside parliamentary control.
The government is keeping remarkably silent about this cooperation. Traces of its real extent can however be found in the "security reports" which the ministry of Home Affairs annually presents to the parliament.
The following quotations are drawn from these security reports.
"The European Conference of Ministers in Strasbourg of the ministers responsible for combating terrorism (...) presented the opportunity for the Austrian Minister of Home Affairs to engage bilateral talks (...) regarding an even closer cooperation in the field of the combat against terrorism. On this occasion, among other things, a reinforced cooperation with the TREVI-group which has been established within the EC, was discussed. These talks were continued by direct contacts with the TREVI-group on a civil servant level" (Security report 1986).
"Intensive efforts (were made) regarding a close cooperation with (...) the TREVI-group. A cooperation sought for, above all, in the following domains: Combat against terrorism, combat against organized crime, equipment and training of organs of security, immigration- and future asylum policy, border control and visa policy. Henceforth, Austria will be granted the same status as already presently granted to the USA and Canada. This special status consists in the fact that Austria will in future have the possibilty to present its opinion concerning the planned themes of the conferences and to articulate ist particular desires before the respective meetings of the interior and justice ministers of the EC-Member States, without being a formal member of this group." (Security report 1987).
"Further consultative talks with the Troika of the TREVI-group took place on a minister level, at which a strong interest was stressed from the Austrian side, to bring about a further intensification of cooperation with the EC countries in all matters of security, including asylum, aliens and migration. On this occasion the impression rose, that these states are giving a high rating to cooperation with Austria and that they are ready to assist Austria in every possible way. It may be mentioned as an example, that Austria will henceforth be given the opportunity to send participants to the seminars for complementary training organized by the TREVI-group in the most various domains of security" (Security report 1988).
Thomas Sperlich