Brussels, 23/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission will adopt the first report to prepare the asylum and immigration dossier for the European Council in Thessalonica. It should cover the follow-up given to the measures taken over the last year after the Seville European Council, with assessments and guideline proposals from the Commission on three aspects: illegal immigration, integrated management of borders and the repatriation of persons in illegal residency. This report should become an annual occurrence. For the Greek Presidency, the most important need is to reach (in Thessalonica) a decision on the sharing of costs for these policies (EUROPE of 16 May, p. 7). In itself the inventory, measure by measure, of the measures taken since Seville is undertaken by the Presidency, in the framework of the regular updating of the Seville action plan.
While its adoption had also been announced for the 27th May, the Commission will only adopt, on 3 June, another report, concerning the response to be given to the shock proposals from the United Kingdom for a reform of the European and international asylum systems (EUROPE of 1 April, p. 12 and 29 March, p. 8). The same day, it should adopt a Communication on the links between immigration, employment and integration, under the co-direction of Commissioners Diamantopoulou (social) and Vitorino (immigration).