If, in the course of inquiries, he learns of facts which he considers might relate to criminal law, the Ombudsman shall immediately notify the competent national authorities via the Permanent Representations of the Member States to the European Communities and, if appropriate, the Community institution with authority over the official or servant concerned, which may apply the second paragraph of Aticle 18 of the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities.

The aim of this Decision is to increase cooperation between national units in order to maximise the ability of law enforcement authorities in different Member States to cooperate effectively in the field of investigation and prosecution of persons who have committed or participated in the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes as defined in Articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court of 17 July 1998.

investigating to that end serious matters relating to the discharge of professional duties such as to constitute a dereliction of the obligations of officials and other servants of the Communities liable to result in disciplinary or, as the case may be, criminal proceedings, or an equivalent failure to discharge obligations on the part of members of institutions and bodies, heads of offices and agencies or members of the staff of institutions, bodies, offices or agencies not subject to the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities ("the Staff Regulations").

Officers of one of the Member States who are keeping a person under surveillance in their country as part of a criminal investigation into an extraditable criminal offence because he is suspected of involvement in an extraditable criminal offence or, as a necessary part of a criminal investigation, because there is serious reason to believe that he can assist in identifying or tracing such a person, shall be authorised to continue their surveillance in the territory of another Member State where the latter has authorised cross-border surveillance in response to a request for assistance made in advance with supporting reasons.

Each Member State shall take the necessary measures to ensure that any relevant information included in document, file, item of information, object or other means of evidence, seized or confiscated in the course of criminal investigations or criminal proceedings in connection with terrorist offences against any of the listed persons, groups or entities, can be made accessible or available immediately to the authorities of other interested Member States in accordance with national law and relevant international legal instruments where investigations against those listed persons, groups or entities are being carried out in connection with terrorist offences or might be initiated.

therefore, on the basis of its administrative autonomy, the Commission should entrust to the Office the task of conducting internal administrative investigations with a view to bringing to light serious situations relating to the discharge of professional duties which may constitute a failure to comply with the obligations of officials and servants of the Communities, as referred to in Articles 11, 12, second and third paragraphs, 13, 14, 16 and 17, first paragraph, of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Communities and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants (hereinafter referred to as "the Staff Regulations"), detrimental to the interests of those Communities and liable to result in disciplinary or, in appropriate cases, criminal proceedings, or serious misconduct, as referred to in Article 22 of the Staff Regulations, or a failure to comply with the analogous obligations of the Members of the Commission or members of the Commission's staff not subject to the Staff Regulations;

Whereas therefore, on the basis of their administrative autonomy, all the institutions, bodies and offices and agencies should entrust to the Office the task of conducting internal administrative investigations with a view to bringing to light serious situations relating to the discharge of professional duties which may constitute a failure to comply with the obligations of officials and servants of the Communities, as referred to in Articles 11, 12, second and third paragraphs, 13, 14, 16 and 17, first paragraph, of the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Communities (hereinafter "the Staff Regulations"), detrimental to the interests of those Communities and liable to result in disciplinary or, where appropriate, criminal proceedings, or serious misconduct, as referred to in Article 22 of the Staff Regulations, or a failure to comply with the analogous obligations of the Members, managers or members of staff of the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Communities not subject to the Staff Regulations or a failure to comply with the obligations imposed by Community Law on Members of the Council and of its bodies in the context of the professional duties they perform in that capacity;