Brussels, 30/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - The idea of creating a European bureau early next year to help increase practical cooperation between member states on asylum issues is still subject to serious disagreement between the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers. In February 2009, the European Commission suggested setting up an EU support bureau to help member states manage asylum applications (see EUROPE 9842) but several obstacles are still preventing the draft regulation from being adopted. One of the main areas of disagreement is about how the bureau chief should be appointed. Despite opposition from the Council of Ministers, MEPs want to be involved in the process, explained the EP rapporteur Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, UK) on 29 September 2009 at a meeting of the EP's civil liberties committee. The EP also wants greater scrutiny with MEPs receiving regular reports on the bureau's work. Jean Lambert explained that the EP wants clarification about the role of the advisory forum which should comprise the UN High Commission for Refugees, NGOs and local communities. MEPs are particularly keen for the bureau to get involved in introducing a compulsory solidarity system for beneficiaries of international protection in the member states where the asylum system is overburdened. The Council may, however, take its usual position of wanting solidarity to be a purely voluntary affair. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (ALDE, the Netherlands) explained that in practice, voluntary solidarity is an empty phrase and if one does not consider anything more binding, how can it actually be achieved? MEPs want EU and international asylum rules to be strictly respected during cooperation between the bureau and countries outside the EU. Jean Lambert insisted that the EU's problems should not be exported. In May 2009, the EP adopted a document on this subject in first reading (see EUROPE 9897). An informal three-way meeting was held on the issue on Thursday 1 October 2009, which is likely to be followed by another on 8 October with the aim of striking agreement on the second reading. A Commission representative commented that a three-way budget meeting would be held part-way through October to decide on funding for the bureau. (B.C./transl.fl)