Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-11-24-Speech-2-291"
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"en.20091124.32.2-291"2
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"Mr President, following the excellent reports by Mrs Ask and Mr Billström, I am going to focus on the main issues.
With regard to the security and protection aspect, you highlight the lack of a comprehensive strategy on security architecture and border management. That is why, as Mrs Ask explained very well, the Stockholm Programme contains a genuine internal security strategy – a strategy that respects, of course, fundamental rights, and that complements the external security strategy.
This comprehensive internal security strategy is based on police and criminal justice cooperation and on managing access to European territory.
As Mr Billström rightly pointed out just now, immigration policy must be part of a long-term vision for optimising the contribution that migrants make to economic and social development. We must provide legal immigrants with a clear and common status. We must also prevent and reduce illegal immigration while showing respect for human rights and human dignity. I would add that we have outlined in this part the elements of the overall approach that will enable development and migration to be linked.
On the subject of asylum, I support your call for genuine solidarity between the Member States. The Union must become a true common and united area of protection, based on respect for fundamental rights and for high standards of protection, and asylum must be offered, as Mr Billström said, in accordance with the same criteria in Europe. Solidarity among Member States and, in particular, towards those who receive the largest numbers of refugees, must be demonstrated in full.
This area of freedom, security and justice does, of course, demand a strong external dimension that is consistent with the Union’s foreign policy. You mention on several occasions, in your resolution, the importance of monitoring, the conducting of assessments. We share your view on this point too. We must reduce the considerable gap between the standards and policies adopted at European level and their application at national level. We must also give thought to the possible impact of legislative proposals on citizens and we must improve the way in which the evaluation of the instruments adopted is used.
To conclude, the Commission is fully involved in negotiating the Stockholm Programme. I said how satisfied I was with our cooperation with the Swedish Presidency, with which we have really done a thorough, serious job. Obviously, Parliament’s opinion is very important to us, not least in these final moments before the Stockholm Programme is adopted by the European Council. That is why I thank you most sincerely, and that is also why I, in turn, will listen to you very carefully. Thank you, Parliament.
Firstly, I wish to thank the Presidency for having kept the spirit of the Stockholm Programme and for having put Europeans at the heart of its action, in its communication. We hope that this text, which should be adopted by the next JHA Council and then submitted to the December European Council, will be an ambitious and balanced text and obviously one that reflects the new institutional balance.
You are going to become colegislators now in virtually all areas of justice and home affairs, and it is therefore true that this parliamentarisation of the European Union represents increased powers for the European Parliament in the decision-making process, but also greater control by the national parliaments of their respective governments. This involvement of the parliaments is an opportunity for this major area of security, justice and freedom.
I now come to the priorities highlighted in your draft resolution. You emphasise respect for fundamental rights. You are right to emphasise this freedom of movement, which is a major asset and which obviously must not be called into question.
With regard to fundamental rights, we have achieved two major breakthroughs with the Treaty of Lisbon: the Charter of Fundamental Rights becomes binding, and the door is open for the Union to become a party to the European Convention on Human Rights. As you stress in your resolution, we must come up with a comprehensive data protection system that incorporates technological developments. The Commission will present a communication on this subject in 2010. I also believe that we will have to cover all of the Union’s policies with this comprehensive data protection system.
You emphasise child protection. With the Swedish Presidency, we have celebrated once again the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is in its 20th year. The Union must remain at the forefront on this issue. That is why we will present an action plan on unaccompanied minors in early 2010.
Generally speaking, the Commission and Parliament share the same will when it comes to combating all forms of discrimination and to promoting equality between men and women. I welcome the fact that Parliament and the Commission take the same approach, which is to put Europeans at the heart of their action with regard to freedom of movement, electoral rights, consular protection, and so on. We are now going to be able to put all of this into practice. The Treaty of Lisbon authorises the citizens’ initiative procedure, and the Commission has just published a green paper on this point. A proposal will be submitted in 2010 on the basis of the outcome of the consultations carried out.
As Minister Ask explained very well just now, we need to make the judges in our Member States share a common European judicial culture. This hinges on training. We have made a commitment in the Stockholm Programme: at least half of the judges and the prosecutors in the Union will have to have received European training or have taken part in an exchange with another Member State.
You also stress the need to facilitate access to justice and to support the proper functioning of the economy. You emphasise the protection of victims – victims of domestic violence and victims of terrorism. The Commission will also submit proposals on this issue, taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the Treaty of Lisbon."@en1
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