Throughout 2006 Eurojust continued to make steady progress building on the foundations laid during our first three years in The Hague. This progress included another substantial annual increase in our caseload, improvements in the field of information management and technology (including the appointment of several data management assistants) and externally further strengthening our relationships with European Union organisations and the completion of a formal co-operation agreement with the USA. These developments will enable our organisation to offer better assistance to national investigating and prosecuting authorities.

Eurojust was established to improve the quality of casework co-operation and co-ordination between the investigating and prosecuting authorities in the EU Member States. Once again I am delighted to report that during 2006 the number of cases referred to the College of Eurojust, the governing body of the agency, continued to grow significantly. In 2006 the number of cases referred to the College increased by 31% over 2005. The increase in case referrals during 2006 continues this very positive trend which saw a 54% caseload increase in 2005, a 27% increase in 2004 and a 50% increase in 2003.