Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security Franco Frattini and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller met January 25 in Brussels to discuss a range of law enforcement topics and U.S.-EU cooperation.

Vice President Frattini and Director Mueller discussed a series of law enforcement subjects, with the objective of enhancing cooperation between the United States and the European Commission and between the United States and Europol, the European Law Enforcement Agency. Issues included the EU’s proposed data protection framework, principles for access to and exchange of police data, cooperation in the fight against terrorism, operational cooperation between Europol and U.S. law enforcement agencies, assignment of an FBI agent for liaison with Europol, and joint training sessions.

The meeting was a follow-up to an encounter in Washington in October 2005 on the margins of a Ministerial Troika involving Vice President Frattini and Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez. During his visit to Brussels, FBI Director Mueller also met January 24 with Counterterrorism Coordinator for the European Union Gijs de Vries.