Brussels, 10/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the European Commission presented a proposed working programme for the next five years for the European Union's freedom, security and justice policy. It includes the implementation of The Hague Programme, which was adopted by the European Council of 4 and 5 November 2004, which laid down the broad outlines of the policy the Member States intend to carry out in this field. The Hague Programme aims above all to implement and consolidate measures adopted since the launch of the European justice and home affairs policy at the end of 1999, with a few ambitious key dates: 2008 for automatic information exchange between police forces, 2010 for a common asylum policy (EUROPE 8822).
The communication sets ten priorities, which are detailed in the annex, with dates for the Commission's proposals, but not for their adoption by the Council and the European Parliament. “This five-year programme details concrete measures to boost the citizens' security, fight against terrorism, strengthen the European Union's external borders and step up the fight against illegal drugs, trafficking in human beings and organised crime”, said European Commissioner Franco Frattini, presenting the communication to the European Parliament on Tuesday. At the end of the year, the European Commission is to present its first annual report on the implementation of these measures, then proposed revisions in November 2006, which will take account of the impact of the entry into force of the European Constitution in this field, if it has been ratified by all the Member States.
The ten priorities of the action plan, with a few additional explanations for the timetable, are:
Fundamental rights and citizenship. At the end of May, the European Commission is to present its proposal to transform the Observatory of Racism and Xenophobia into the European fundamental rights agency. Also planned this year are a communication on the protection of children's rights and the Daphne II 2006 programme to fight violence against women. The European Commission will assess the implementation of various directives on the free movement of European nationals within the EU. In 2006, it intends to present a proposal on consular protection.
The fight against terrorism. 2005 will see a proposal to set up an alert network for police and one on critical infrastructure, and communications on explosives and radicalisation. In 2006, there will be a proposal to block the use of charitable organisations to fund terrorism. These will be followed in 2007 by a programme for the prevention of terrorism and the managements of the consequences of an attack, as per the action plan against terrorism which was adopted last year.
Migration management. This year, most likely by the end of May, the Commission is to present its proposal of common standards for expulsions, which has been in the pipeline for over a year. In the autumn, a policy plan for economic immigration will be presented, on the basis of the debate on the Green Paper published by the Commission in January. In 2006, there will be a proposal to create a European centre for the observation of migration. 2007 will see three proposals: creation of a fund for external borders, the creation of a fund for returns, and changes to the European refugee fund. Each year, a report will be published on immigration and asylum.
Borders and visa. The European Commission is to present, probably in June, a proposal for a second-generation Schengen information system (SIS II), and by the end of the year, a proposal for cooperation on the EU's internal borders. The European external borders agency will start its work this month. In 2005, a proposal will be put forward on the creation of expert teams to help the Member States to protect their borders; one will be made in 2006 on granting executive powers to the officials of one Member State in another Member State, and the following year by a proposal on the European border fund. Preparations will begin in 2005 on joint standards for identity cards. Biometric indicators will be included in passports in 2006. Proposals will be made in 2005 to set up joint centres to submit visa applications, followed by others in 2006 to boost consular cooperation.
Joint asylum policy. In early July, an action plan for protection programmes for refugees in their own regions will be put forward, as will proposed pilot schemes by the end of the year. This year, a proposal will be made on long-term residency status for refugees, which already exists for immigrants. 2005 will also see a communication on the implementation of structures for cooperation between national asylum services. At a later but as yet unspecified date, the European Commission will then propose instruments to go beyond the minimum standards already adopted to arrive at a common policy by 2010.
Integration of migrants. A communication will be published in 2005 on a European framework for integration, a fund for which will be proposed in 2007.
Information exchange: Many proposals in 2005 for data protection in police and legal cooperation, the setting up of the principle of information availability between police forces, a common approach for files on air passengers in Europe, mutual consultation on DNA, police access to visa data etc. Proposal in 2007 on SIS II exchanges and the Europol information system.
Fight against organised crime: Proposals for fighting counterfeiting (2005), re-examination of the fight against the traffic in human beings (2006) etc. Many communications between 2005-07: for European statistics, public-private partnership, programme for prevention and fight against organised crime, standards for common training, assessment of Member States policies etc.
Legal and criminal justice: In 2005 a proposal for transfer of persons condemned in other Member States and for the application of professional bans made after convictions for sexual abuse against children. In 2006 a Green Paper on the role of civil society in the elaboration of anti-drug policies and a communication on the assessment of the quality of justice. In 2007, several harmonisation proposals for criminal justice (ruling in absentia of the accused and witness protection etc) and programmes for civil, commercial and criminal legal cooperation and a proposal for a training network for legal authorities. Several Green Papers in 2006-07 on civil law: application of decision, minimal rules for procedures etc.
Funding: The Commission present its proposal on 6 April for the budget for this policy within financial perspectives for 2007-13. It is proposing a budget of EUR 8.3 bn (in 2004 prices or EUR 9.5 bn in constant prices) - and increase of 228% between 2006-13.