Glossary - Justice and home affairs - European Commission

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access to justice

One of three priorities set out by the EU to enable individuals and companies to exercise their rights in a Member State other than their own. Other priorities are mutual recognition of judicial decisions and increased convergence in procedural law. (See legal aid, Alternative dispute resolution)

access to work

A Commission proposal of 2001 aims to improve access to work for people who are not nationals of an EU Member State but who live in the EU, by making procedures more transparent and uniform and by guaranteeing certain rights. (See immigration)

accession criteria

See Copenhagen criteria. (See enlargement)

accession negotiations

Negotiations between the EU and countries preparing to join the EU, in which justice and home affairs form a key part. (See enlargement)

accession partnership

Agreements between the EU and each country applying to join the EU, which set a framework for the countries to adopt or move closer to EU policies and work alongside the EU to achieve this objective. (See enlargement)

accession process

Negotiations between the EU and countries applying to join the EU, and the convergence of applicants' laws with EU law; in justice and home affairs the main areas are free movement of people, immigration, visas, asylum, and police, customs and judicial cooperation. (See enlargement)

acquis communautaire

The entire body of legislation of the European Communities and Union, of which a significant body relates to justice and home affairs. Applicant countries must accept the acquis before they can join the EU. (See enlargement)

action plan

Concerted measures between two or more countries to achieve a certain set of previously accepted objectives. An example is the EU-Russia action plan on combating organised crime. (See External : Russia, Ukraine)

administrative infringements

Failure to comply with the administrative requirements of a State: under the EU Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, national authorities can cooperate to secure prosecutions for an administrative infringement in any EU Member State. (See judicial cooperation in criminal matters, Mutual assistance in criminal matters)

admission

Specific requirements must be met by third-country nationals seeking to enter the EU. The Commission's 2000 communication on immigration policy proposes a common legal framework for the conditions of admission of third-country nationals. (See immigration)

ADR

Alternative Dispute Resolution: extra-judicial procedures used for resolving civil or commercial disputes. (See Alternative dispute resolution)

AFIS

Anti-Fraud Information System: terminals in Member States through which information in the customs information system (CIS) is accessed. (See customs)

age

EU citizenship confers the right to protection from discrimination on the grounds of, among other things, age. This is enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. (See EU citizenship, fundamental rights)

amphetamines

A group of man-made drugs that stimulate the central and peripheral nervous systems. After cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines are the most used illegal drugs in the EU, and tackling their use is a priority in the EU drugs action plan. (See drugs)

Amsterdam Treaty

Reorganised cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs, setting as its objective the establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice. Certain sectors formerly in the intergovernmental section of the EU and EC Treaties were brought within the Community framework, giving EU institutions scope for action on a wider range of issues.

applicant countries

Countries may apply to join the EU under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. Current applicants are Bulgaria and Turkey. (See enlargement)

approximation

A core principle of European Community law, meaning the shaping of national rules in a comparable way throughout the European Union in order to meet common objectives.

arbitration

Intervention of a third party to solve a civil or commercial dispute under the alternative dispute resolution methods being developed by the EU. (See judicial-civil)

ARGO

An EU action programme for administrative cooperation in the fields of external borders, visas, asylum and immigration. (See ARGO programme)

arms

See ammunition. (See organised crime)

arrest

In the event that an EU citizen is arrested while outside the EU, he or she has the right to seek assistance from any EU Member State embassy, if his or her own country is not represented. (See EU citizenship)

assistance

Examples of areas in which the EU provides for assistance to its citizens are access to help from any EU embassy while outside the EU and legal aid in cross-border litigation. (See EU citizenship, judicial-civil)

asylum

Asylum is a form of protection given by a State on its territory based on the principle of 'non-refoulement' and internationally or nationally recognised refugee rights. It is granted to a person who is unable to seek protection in its country of citizenship and/or residence in particular for fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion. (See asylum)