Brussels, 17/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - Finland will strive to clarify all suggestions that seek to make the decision-making process in legal and police cooperation more efficient, declared the Finnish minister of justice Leena Luhtanen on 12 July. Indicating to EUROPE that she was aware of the constitutional problems encountered by countries like Germany, with regard to the “bridging clause” (transfer from third inter-governmental pillar to first Community pillar), Ms Luhtanen explained that if objections from Member States persisted, other solutions would be envisaged for getting out of the impasse. However, the minister did think it premature to enter into all the details before all the Member States had expressed themselves on the matter. Luhtanen had just been explaining her programme on legal matters to the EP's legal affairs committee, and focused on a large number of important measures that still needed to be adopted, such as the procedure on small financial amounts, progress still outstanding regarding; recognition of decision on food allocations, legislation on the meaning and notification of legal and extra-legal acts in the civil and commercial fields, minimum norms in criminal legal procedures and the setting up of a European Fundamental Rights Agency, for which, Ms Luhtanen pointed out, she had received a “clear mandate” during the last European Council. Faced with the concerns raised by Diana Wallis (ALDE, United Kingdom) on the subject of the revision clause inserted into the draft Rome 2 Regulation, Ms Luhtanen said that she was prepared to “find a balance” between Parliament and the Council (which has still not sent MEPs its common position). She added that, “I hope that this matter can be resolved without it having to go to conciliation procedure”. Maria Berger (PES, Austria) regretted that Parliament will be “obliged later on to put back decisions, in order to have an influence with the Council” (as with the case on data protection) and called for the Council to be more flexible in its views. Ms Luhtanen insisted in this context, on the need for more “transparency” about the decision-making process at the Council in order to “eliminate this taste for excessive secrecy”.
The Finnish minister of the interior Kari Rajamäki presented the European Parliament on 13 July with the presidency's priorities in this domain. As well as highlighting the “crucial” importance of improving the decision-making process in the area of Justice and Home Affairs, Rajamäki was keen to underline the “key” priorities of his action would involve revision of The Hague Programme. In this respect, the presidency set itself the objective of opening discussions on how to develop the second stage of implementation for a common asylum system planned for 2010, he declared (the European Commission intends to present a Green Paper on the issue in Spring 2007). In the field of immigration, the minister announced that the JHA Council of 24 July would examine “the situation in the Mediterranean, by taking into account the results from the Rabat Summit” (EUROPE 9230. The presidency is also expected to try for a compromise “as soon as possible” on a political agreement on the draft directive on repatriation of illegal third country nationals. In connection with the fight against trafficking in human beings, the minister acknowledged that Finland had had until then a “naïve perception” of this dossier but due to the recent problems in Helsinki, it was now ready to highlight greater practical cooperation between the authorities responsible for law and order. Mr Rajamäki also underlined the importance of setting up the SIS 2 system to the Schengen area, as well as the work on introducing biometric elements into the visa information system (VIS). The presidency's goal in the fight against terrorism is to apply the strategy adopted in 2005, with specific attention being paid to the application of the plan against radicalisation and recruitment, as well as protection of critical infrastructure points. Speaking about the external dimension of JHA, Mr Rajamäki explained that he intended to cooperate more with Russia, notably in connection with the fight against organised crime and the trafficking of human beings, as well as enhancing cooperation between ASEAN in the ASEM framework.