EU urges Italy to improve terror info (3)

(ANSA) - Brussels, September 29 - The European Commission on Thursday wrote to Italy, Croatia, Greece, Ireland and Portugal urging them to improve the exchange of information on terrorism and organised crime by fully applying the 2005 Pruem Convention which was supposed to be implemented by August 2011. The letters are the first ever infringement proceedings in the field of police and judicial cooperation, a statement from the EC said. Italy and the other countries must now comply as soon as possible or risk the next move, when the EC would send a so-called 'motivated opinion' against them.
    The Pruem Convention, sometimes known as the Schengen III Agreement, is a treaty which was signed on 27 May 2005 by Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain in the town of Pruem in Germany, and which is open to all members of the European Union, 14 of which are currently parties.