Brussels, 30/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission adopted a Communication by Antonio Vitorino, in agreement with President Romano Prodi on "The interface between implementing the Title of the EC Treaty and the Protocol on Denmark's position", concerning Community measures for which it has no possibility of an opt-in. The Commission had a policy debate on the issue, says a spokesperson press release, which emphasises that the policy guidelines approved set out four areas in which Denmark's participation would be in the Community's interest: the acquis of the Dublin and Eurodac Convention, the Regulations "Brussels I" and that on the transmission of judicial and extra-judicial documents. Commissioner Vitorino will finalise to draft negotiating briefs for these four areas in the coming weeks, in view of a Council decision.
In accordance with the Protocol on its specific situation, Denmark does not participate in the adoption of measures adopted by the EC concerning visas, asylum, immigration and judicial co-operation in civil matters. Denmark, which has the possibility of an opt-in as long as these measures aim to develop the Schengen acquis, has, however, shown interest in participating - as long as an agreement is concluded with the EC - in certain aspects of these measures adopted to implement the Tampere Conclusions. The Commission places emphasis on the following points: 1) Denmark may at all times, in accordance with its constitutional provisions, inform other Member States that it no longer wishes to avail itself of all or part of the Protocol; 2) whence, other solutions to be found in the meantime, such as parallel agreements could only be of an exceptional and transitional nature, whilst maintaining the ultimate objective of terminating the protocol; 3) such an interim solution should only be accepted if the participation of Denmark is full in the interest of the Community and its citizens, and if the requirements imposed on Denmark are identical to those imposed on all Member States.
I believe that the Danish Government is "more than satisfied" with our conclusions, President Prodi told a journalist on Tuesday who expressed doubts on the subject. As for the Commission's remark by which solutions such as parallel agreements could only have an exceptional and transitional nature, Romano Prodi declared: "opt-outs are certainly no model on which the future of Europe can be built", it is a field that "is increasingly shrinking" and which, we believe "belongs to the past".