Brussels, 05/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - European combatants leaving for Syria, Russian blackmail of European airlines (see other article) and the desire of four member states (Germany, Austria, Netherlands and United Kingdom) to change the rules on free movement in the EU are expected to be the most sensitive topics in the European ministers for justice and home affairs' meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday 6 June.
Justice ministers will get the ball rolling by presenting an extremely weighty dossier on reforming the rules for personal data protection. Fresh impetus is expected on a handful of chapters in the regulation, which seeks to reform the 1995 directive, but no decision is expected yet on the question. Overwhelmed by the thousands of amendments, the European Parliament has not yet set an exact date for voting on this reform.
Ministers are not expecting too much controversy to affect the rest of the agenda and they are expected to validate the recent agreements obtained in the trialogue meetings, including on the Schengen governance package, the asylum package setting up a common European regime in this area, and the directive on access to a lawyer throughout the questioning and trial procedure. They will also debate new European rules on company bankruptcy and insolvency systems, protection of the EU's financial interests (a general approach is expected) and European account preservation order (recovering cross-border debt).
Ministers are also expected to again discuss the Syrian refugee situation, which has been a regular exercise since 2012. Once again, however, no particular action is expected to be taken in this respect.
Syria/Foreign fighters
On the subject of Syria, ministers the home affairs will debate a note from the European anti-terrorism coordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, on the departure of hundreds of Europeans for Syria. The coordinator does not provide an exact figure but certain quarters estimate this number to be around 600-700. The document that he will present to ministers aims to provide a better understanding of why these young Europeans are going off to fight in Syria for the rebels, in both moderate and extremist groups. De Kerchove's note also examines their return and the risks of “terrorism” that this would bring. Recommendations focus on cooperation with third countries, the Maghreb and Turkey, from where it is easy to cross into Syria. Other agents on the front line, such as social workers, should also be given better training for detecting the first signs of radicalisation. The coordinator suggests that member states reassess their respective legislative arsenals in an attempt to see whether there are appropriate responses to this phenomenon. During a briefing on Wednesday morning, de Kerchove did not conceal his wish to see the European PNR brought into practice.
Free movement
At the end of April, four ministers for home affairs, from Germany, Netherlands, Austria and United Kingdom, created controversy in a letter in which thay complained to the Commission about abusive use of social benefits that they have suffered since the arrival in their respective countries of other European workers. They called on the Commission to possibly review the rules on free movement. This request was rejected by the Commission at the end of May. The European commissioners with a remit in this area, Viviane Reding, Cecilia Malmström and Laszlo Andor called on the ministers mentioned above to come to Luxembourg on Thursday with objective proof and evidence underpinning their demands. The debate will take place on Thursday afternoon during lunch.
Data protection
Ministers will be asked only to give their agreement on Thursday to the four chapters in the general regulation replacing the 1995 directive. These chapters focus particularly on the “explicit” consent of the consumer for use to be made of their data. The Commission originally wanted this consent to be “explicit” but the delegations thought it unrealistic and preferred the notion of “unambiguous” consent. The Commission is able to accept this change, which does not water down its own proposal too much, it explained. And territorial scope of the proposal is also a cause of concern. The regulation should apply to all companies, European or otherwise and based in Europe or not, which offer services to Europeans. The chapters examined also focus on the coexistence of the regulation with the principle of the freedom of expression and the right of access to public documents. During the most recent Councils, ministers debated issues, such as exceptions to the regulation for households and the use of data in a domestic context, without any commercial implications, as well as the principle of the “right to be forgotten”. (SP/transl.fl)