The Council of the EU is making gradual progress in preparing its strategic guidelines for the next 5 years in the area of justice and home affairs (see EUROPE 12279/1). After an initial discussion at ministerial level in Zagreb at the end of January (see EUROPE 12408/17), member states' ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) will exchange views on a draft text on Wednesday 5 February, with a view to adopting it in March.
The draft text, dated 31 January and posted online by the organisation Statewatch, begins by recognising mutual trust between member states as “the basis for the development of many policies in the field of justice and home affairs”.
The text proposes several avenues for strengthening mutual trust, including with regard to the interoperability of databases, which would open the way for the integration of decentralised systems, customs databases and financial investigation tools.
On migration, the text stresses that “divergences have appeared over the reform of the common European asylum system, but there is also a broad measure of agreement over the objectives of our common policies - including on the necessity to streamline the operation of our asylum system, from entry to either integration or return, so that decisions are taken in the most efficient and expedient way in the interest of all persons involved”.
The draft text also focuses on improving cooperation with non-member states. “Expanding efforts towards third countries means bringing interaction between Member States and EU structures to a whole new level. To engage properly with third countries in our complex institutional set-up, we need to identify much more clearly who is in charge of what on the basis of which information and with what leverage”, it says.
Lastly, on the issue of security, the text calls for a “truly integrated approach” that would cover the entire security chain, with enhanced cooperation between the police, border guards, customs, judicial systems, and immigration and asylum authorities.
It notes that developing solutions based on artificial intelligence could help to address some of the challenges.
In this discussion of digitisation, however, the text expresses doubts about whether the mandates and resources of the EU agencies involved adequately cover current and future needs. It therefore calls for the agencies to be guaranteed adequate funding.
The strategic guidelines are expected to be submitted for approval to the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 12 and 13 March 2020, before being adopted by the European Council on 26 and 27 March.
To consult the document, go to: https://bit.ly/2v6UMeU (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)