Council Decision of 29 May 2000 to combat child pornography on the Internet

Article 2

1. Member States shall ensure the widest and speediest possible cooperation to facilitate an effective investigation and prosecution of offences concerning child pornography on the Internet in accordance with existing arrangements and agreements.

2. To ensure a timely and effective response to these offences, Member States shall communicate already established points of contact, which are set up on a 24-hour basis and consist of knowledgeable personnel, as well as the specialised units which are referred to in Article 1(2) and which can be used for exchange of information and for further contacts between Member States. Points of contact, which Member States have already set up for other duties, may also be used for these purposes. Likewise, existing channels for communication, such as Europol and Interpol shall be used.

3. Member States shall ensure that Europol, within the limits of its mandate, is informed of suspected cases of child pornography.

4. Member States, in appropriate cooperation with Europol, shall examine the possibility of organising regular meetings of competent authorities specialising in combating child pornography on the Internet with a view to promoting general information exchanges, analysis of the situation and the coordination of measures in criminal tactics.

5. Each Member State shall notify the General Secretariat of the Council of its organisational unit or units acting as points of contact pursuant to paragraph 2. The General Secretariat shall inform all other Member States of these points of contact.