Brussels, 12/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Friday, the European Council will hold a debate over the implementation of the Tampere action plan from October 1999 on the creation of a European area of freedom, security and justice. The Commission issued a mitigated assessment supporting its scoreboard, which follows the progress in the matter and shows the success, but also the numerous delays, including serious criticisms with regards to the reticence of the Member States (Europe of 7 November, p.11). The EU 15 had a first debate (19/20 November, p.12), on the basis of the contrasted contributions by the Member States (10 November, p.5). The Presidency prepared a report for the Summit in which it talks of sharing the mitigated assessment of the Commission, by particularly underlining they difficulties in terms of asylum and immigration and over the penal issues (see yesterday's Europe, p.10). The Presidency would like for the debate to concentrate on: the improvement of checks of external borders and strengthening consular co-operation, greater convergence in Member State legislation in terms of asylum and immigration, the functioning of new instruments (Europol, Eurojust…) and the Council's working methods in the matter. The Presidency is proposing:
Immigration and asylum: confirm the objectives; provide impetus for the rapid adoption of the decision (family grouping, asylum procedures, bringing the Dublin Convention into the Community sphere of influence, status of long-term residents); establish the policy of open co-ordination put forward by the Commission (abandoning the "standstill proposal for national legislation, the Presidency rallied to the idea of establishing minimum rules on convergence); consider the management of external borders.
Judicial co-operation in civil matters: Confirm that the principal of mutual recognition must remain the cornerstone; set as a priority the creation of a true executive order, issues stemming for family law (visitation rights..), the setting of minimum standards for notification procedures and meanings, better access for citizens to justice, legal conflicts.
Legal co-operation in penal matters: facilitate the development of mutual recognition; confirm, there where foreseen, the aim of harmonisation, to overcome blockages.
Police co-operation: better make use of Europol, the chiefs of police task force…