English hooligans had the severe consequences of causing trouble at Euro 2000 spelled out to them.

Trouble-makers will be arrested and sent to trial, rather than simply deported, and whole groups of supporters could be rounded up and held in custody for 12 hours merely for goading rival fans as part of new legislation passed with the tournament in mind.

Organisers have learned from the mistakes made by Danish police at last month's UEFA Cup Final between Arsenal and Galatasaray, when Copenhagen was turned into a battle zone by English and Turkish thugs in the 24 hours preceding the match.

Inadequate policing was blamed for the problems in Denmark but the Dutch and Belgians are promising to adopt a hard-line approach to quell unrest among fans at Euro 2000, which begins in seven days' time.

The Dutch, in particular, are intent on clamping down on the merest hint of trouble after a series of high-profile fan disturbances in Holland in recent years.

There were clashes between Dutch and English supporters, as well as between travelling fans and the police, at the 1993 World Cup qualifier in Rotterdam.

Peter van Zunderd, who was the city's district commissioner and in charge of the policing of that match, is now the director general of Holland's Euro 2000 security operation and he told Soccernet: 'We have learned from Copenhagen that we have to react pro-actively.

'We're not apportioning blame for what happened in Copenhagen but we will ensure that the police arrive in time.

'In Denmark they arrived on the day of the match but the problems started the night before. Because of that, we will be extra alert the nights before matches.

'We have held a briefing about what happened in Copenhagen with people from Denmark and representatives from the English and Turkish Football Associations and governments. I think we had a very fruitful meeting about what happened there.

'We're very experienced at dealing with hooliganism. In Copenhagen small provocation took place between the fans and the trouble escalated. If that happens in the Netherlands, fans will be arrested and put in custody for 12 hours.

'Criminal law will take precedent over immigration law, which is a change. In the past, English hooligans have bought a one-way ticket, fought with the police and then been sent home at the expense of the Dutch Government.

'This time we will not send them back by plane the day after. Instead, we will make arrests, let them do their time in jail and then expel them at their expense.'

Van Zunderd, speaking at an annual conference of the European Stadium Managers' Association in Barcelona, revealed that around 2,000 police will be on duty for England's first match of Euro 2000, against Portugal in Eindhoven on June 12.

England fans have been allocated just under 20,000 tickets for their three group games but many thousands more are expected to cross the Channel, either to savour the atmosphere or to try to cause trouble.

Supporters will be fined 1,000 Dutch guilders (just under £300) and banned from attending games for the rest of the tournament if they are caught trying to enter the ground with a ticket which has not been issued in their name.