Eight million EU citizens live in another member state than their native country, there are 18.5 million registered third country nationals and an estimated 8 million illegal immigrants.
Cross-border aspects of justice and home affairs (JHA), or the evolving area of freedom, security and justice (FSJ), are becoming increasingly important for individuals within the European Union.
Yesterday we started to look at the experiences so far, in the blog post: EU justice: Towards the Stockholm programme.
***
Background
The Commission presented a background note on the evaluation of the Hague programme and the challenges for the future Stockholm programme in: Questions et réponse sur le futur programme de Stockholm . Quelle est la situation actuelle? Où en est la construction de l'espace de liberté, de sécurité et de justice? (MEMO/09/266, Brussels, 10 Juin 2009 ; available only in French).
The aim is that the European Council adopts the Stockholm programme in December 2009, and that an action programme is adopted next spring.
Future vision
The Commission published a press release with the main proposals for the Stockholm programme: European Commission outlines its vision for the area of freedom, security and justice in the next five years (IP/09/894, 10 June 2009; available in several languages).
***
Extended evaluation of the Hague programme
The Communication we mentioned in yesterday’s post, COM(2009) 263 final, was accompanied by a more detailed version, posted on the web pages of the Commission:
Justice, Freedom and Security in Europe since 2005: An evaluation of the Hague programme and action plan ─ An extended report on the evaluation of the Hague Programme (Brussels, 10.6.2009, SEC(2009) 766 final; 131 pages).
***
Legal instruments
The Communication was also accompanied by the Communication:
Follow-up of the implementation of legal instruments in the fields of justice, freedom and security at national level ─ Implementation Scoreboard (Brussels, 10.6.2009, SEC(2009) 765 final; 45 pages).
***
Scoreboard
In addition the Commission published the following Communication:
General overview of instruments and deadlines provided in the Hague Programme and Action Plan in the fields of justice, freedom and security ─ Institutional Scoreboard (Brussels, 10.6.2009, SEC(2009) 767 final; 120 pages).
***
The Commission has laid the foundations for the coming Stockholm programme.
Ralf Grahn
Showing posts with label Hague Programme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hague Programme. Show all posts
Friday, 12 June 2009
Thursday, 11 June 2009
EU justice: Towards the Stockholm programme
Justice and home affairs (JHA), or the area of freedom, security and justice (FSJ), is one of the evolving policy fields of the European Union, and it is highly relevant for individuals (unlike many policy areas, which primarily concern governments and businesses).
Under the Treaty of Lisbon the procedures in the FSJ policy field would become more ‘normal’ and less intergovernmental with regard to police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
The so called Hague programme is nearing its end (2010), to be replaced by what will probably be called the Stockholm programme.
One step on the road is the Commission’s evaluation of the Hague programme:
The Communication Justice, freedom and security in Europe since 2005 – An evaluation of the Hague programme and action plan (Brussels, 10.6.2009 COM(2009) 263 final).
Hague programme
The objectives of the Hague Programme were:
• to improve the common capability of the Union and its Member States to guarantee fundamental rights, minimum procedural safeguards and access to justice;
• to provide protection in accordance with the Geneva Convention on Refugees and other international treaties to persons in need;
• to regulate migration flows and to control the external borders of the Union;
• to fight organised cross-border crime and repress the threat of terrorism;
• to realise the potential of Europol and Eurojust;
• to carry further the mutual recognition of judicial decisions and certificates both in civil and in criminal matters; and
• to eliminate legal and judicial obstacles in litigation in civil and family matters with cross-border implications.
***
Useful JHA overview with up-to-date references
The well documented 18 page Communication is a treasure trove for anyone who wants to find the relevant legislative acts and policy instruments in this vast and rapidly evolving policy area, in addition to the descriptions and assessments of the Commission.
There have been advances, but the Commission acknowledges the mixed results, especially on the ‘third pillar’ issues, which require unanimity in the Council. The Treaty of Lisbon would be an important step forward. The conclusions indicate main issues to be tackled under the Stockholm programme.
***
Additional information
For those who need more detailed information, the Commission has produced three accompanying documents, hopefully soon available through the Eur-Lex web pages on preparatory acts, under SEC documents:
SEC(2009) 765 final
SEC(2009) 766 final
SEC(2009) 767 final
Ralf Grahn
Under the Treaty of Lisbon the procedures in the FSJ policy field would become more ‘normal’ and less intergovernmental with regard to police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
The so called Hague programme is nearing its end (2010), to be replaced by what will probably be called the Stockholm programme.
One step on the road is the Commission’s evaluation of the Hague programme:
The Communication Justice, freedom and security in Europe since 2005 – An evaluation of the Hague programme and action plan (Brussels, 10.6.2009 COM(2009) 263 final).
Hague programme
The objectives of the Hague Programme were:
• to improve the common capability of the Union and its Member States to guarantee fundamental rights, minimum procedural safeguards and access to justice;
• to provide protection in accordance with the Geneva Convention on Refugees and other international treaties to persons in need;
• to regulate migration flows and to control the external borders of the Union;
• to fight organised cross-border crime and repress the threat of terrorism;
• to realise the potential of Europol and Eurojust;
• to carry further the mutual recognition of judicial decisions and certificates both in civil and in criminal matters; and
• to eliminate legal and judicial obstacles in litigation in civil and family matters with cross-border implications.
***
Useful JHA overview with up-to-date references
The well documented 18 page Communication is a treasure trove for anyone who wants to find the relevant legislative acts and policy instruments in this vast and rapidly evolving policy area, in addition to the descriptions and assessments of the Commission.
There have been advances, but the Commission acknowledges the mixed results, especially on the ‘third pillar’ issues, which require unanimity in the Council. The Treaty of Lisbon would be an important step forward. The conclusions indicate main issues to be tackled under the Stockholm programme.
***
Additional information
For those who need more detailed information, the Commission has produced three accompanying documents, hopefully soon available through the Eur-Lex web pages on preparatory acts, under SEC documents:
SEC(2009) 765 final
SEC(2009) 766 final
SEC(2009) 767 final
Ralf Grahn
Tuesday, 22 May 2007
Hague Programme
The European Council in Tampere (Finland) was a significant step towards strengthening the European Union as an area of freedom, security and justice. In October 1999 the European Council adopted its first work programme, which ran until 2004.
On 5 November 2004 the European Council approved the “Hague Programme : strengthening freedom, security and justice in the European Union”. This multi-annual programme (2005 – 2010) – responding to a central concern of the peoples of the States brought together in the Union – is intended to build on past achievements and to meet the new challenges:
"The objective of the Hague programme is to improve the common capability of the Union and its Member States to guarantee fundamental rights, minimum procedural safeguards and access to justice, to provide protection in accordance with the Geneva Convention on Refugees and other international treaties to persons in need, to regulate migration flows and to control the external borders of the Union, to fight organised cross-border crime and repress the threat of terrorism, to realise the potential of Europol and Eurojust, to carry further the mutual recognition of judicial decisions and certificates both in civil and in criminal matters, and to eliminate legal and judicial obstacles in litigation in civil and family matters with cross-border implications. This is an objective that has to be achieved in the interests of our citizens by the development of a Common Asylum System and by improving access to the courts, practical police and judicial cooperation, the approximation of laws and the development of common policies. "
An overview of the 33 page Hague Programme (16054/04), which presents the guidelines for the improvements to be made, gives a picture of the problems to be tackled:
I. INTRODUCTION
II. GENERAL ORIENTATIONS
1. General principles
2. Protection of fundamental rights
3. Implementation and evaluation
4. Review
III. SPECIFIC ORIENTATIONS
1. STRENGTHENING FREEDOM
1.1. Citizenship of the Union
1.2. Asylum, migration and border policy
1.3. A Common European Asylum System
1.4. Legal migration and the fight against illegal employment
1.5. Integration of third-country nationals
1.6. The external dimension of asylum and migration
1.6.1. Partnership with third countries
1.6.2. Partnership with countries and regions of origin
1.6.3. Partnership with countries and regions of transit
1.6.4. Return and re-admission policy
1.7 Management of migration flows
1.7.1. Border checks and the fight against illegal immigration
1.7.2. Biometrics and information systems
1.7.3. Visa policy
2. STRENGTHENING SECURITY
2.1. Improving the exchange of information
2.2. Terrorism
2.3. Police cooperation
2.4. Management of crises within the European Union with cross-border effects
2.5. Operational cooperation
2.6. Crime prevention
2.7. Organised crime and corruption
2.8. European strategy on drugs
3. STRENGTHENING JUSTICE
3.1. European Court of Justice
3.2. Confidence-building and mutual trust
3.3. Judicial cooperation in criminal matters
3.3.1. Mutual recognition
3.3.2. Approximation of law
3.3.3. Eurojust
3.4. Judicial cooperation in civil matters
3.4.1. Facilitating civil law procedure across borders
3.4.2. Mutual recognition of decisions
3.4.3. Enhancing cooperation
3.4.4. Ensuring coherence and upgrading the quality of EU legislation
3.4.5. International legal order
4. EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Detailed measures under the different headings are set out in the “Council and Commission Action Plan implementing the Hague Programme on strengthening freedom, security and justice in the European Union”, adopted by the Council on 2 June 2005 (9778/2/05).
The objective of the Action Plan is to translate the Hague Programme into specific measures. The Council and the Commission reiterated the importance which they attach to the correct and timely transposition of legislative acts adopted, to the effective implementation of measures agreed, and to their evaluation in practice.
The Action Plan is a detailed “to do” list with deadlines, specifying the concrete proposals to be made.
The Commission presents annual reports on the implementation of the Action Plan. The Commission’s first assessment of progress in implementing the Hague Programme was presented in 2006. The assessment package included four communications: an implementation report, an evaluation of policies, a communication on the way forward and a communication on providing more effective judicial protection.
Ralf Grahn
On 5 November 2004 the European Council approved the “Hague Programme : strengthening freedom, security and justice in the European Union”. This multi-annual programme (2005 – 2010) – responding to a central concern of the peoples of the States brought together in the Union – is intended to build on past achievements and to meet the new challenges:
"The objective of the Hague programme is to improve the common capability of the Union and its Member States to guarantee fundamental rights, minimum procedural safeguards and access to justice, to provide protection in accordance with the Geneva Convention on Refugees and other international treaties to persons in need, to regulate migration flows and to control the external borders of the Union, to fight organised cross-border crime and repress the threat of terrorism, to realise the potential of Europol and Eurojust, to carry further the mutual recognition of judicial decisions and certificates both in civil and in criminal matters, and to eliminate legal and judicial obstacles in litigation in civil and family matters with cross-border implications. This is an objective that has to be achieved in the interests of our citizens by the development of a Common Asylum System and by improving access to the courts, practical police and judicial cooperation, the approximation of laws and the development of common policies. "
An overview of the 33 page Hague Programme (16054/04), which presents the guidelines for the improvements to be made, gives a picture of the problems to be tackled:
I. INTRODUCTION
II. GENERAL ORIENTATIONS
1. General principles
2. Protection of fundamental rights
3. Implementation and evaluation
4. Review
III. SPECIFIC ORIENTATIONS
1. STRENGTHENING FREEDOM
1.1. Citizenship of the Union
1.2. Asylum, migration and border policy
1.3. A Common European Asylum System
1.4. Legal migration and the fight against illegal employment
1.5. Integration of third-country nationals
1.6. The external dimension of asylum and migration
1.6.1. Partnership with third countries
1.6.2. Partnership with countries and regions of origin
1.6.3. Partnership with countries and regions of transit
1.6.4. Return and re-admission policy
1.7 Management of migration flows
1.7.1. Border checks and the fight against illegal immigration
1.7.2. Biometrics and information systems
1.7.3. Visa policy
2. STRENGTHENING SECURITY
2.1. Improving the exchange of information
2.2. Terrorism
2.3. Police cooperation
2.4. Management of crises within the European Union with cross-border effects
2.5. Operational cooperation
2.6. Crime prevention
2.7. Organised crime and corruption
2.8. European strategy on drugs
3. STRENGTHENING JUSTICE
3.1. European Court of Justice
3.2. Confidence-building and mutual trust
3.3. Judicial cooperation in criminal matters
3.3.1. Mutual recognition
3.3.2. Approximation of law
3.3.3. Eurojust
3.4. Judicial cooperation in civil matters
3.4.1. Facilitating civil law procedure across borders
3.4.2. Mutual recognition of decisions
3.4.3. Enhancing cooperation
3.4.4. Ensuring coherence and upgrading the quality of EU legislation
3.4.5. International legal order
4. EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Detailed measures under the different headings are set out in the “Council and Commission Action Plan implementing the Hague Programme on strengthening freedom, security and justice in the European Union”, adopted by the Council on 2 June 2005 (9778/2/05).
The objective of the Action Plan is to translate the Hague Programme into specific measures. The Council and the Commission reiterated the importance which they attach to the correct and timely transposition of legislative acts adopted, to the effective implementation of measures agreed, and to their evaluation in practice.
The Action Plan is a detailed “to do” list with deadlines, specifying the concrete proposals to be made.
The Commission presents annual reports on the implementation of the Action Plan. The Commission’s first assessment of progress in implementing the Hague Programme was presented in 2006. The assessment package included four communications: an implementation report, an evaluation of policies, a communication on the way forward and a communication on providing more effective judicial protection.
Ralf Grahn
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