Justice and Home Affairs

Newsroom European - Commission

20.11.2009 - "Draw me a right!" – European Commission launches the 4th edition of its poster competition for youngsters to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child

The 20th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child" is the theme of a poster competition launched today, 20 November 2009, by Vice-President Jacques Barrot. European youngsters aged 10 to 18 are invited to design a poster on one of the rights enshrined in the Convention. The aim of the competition is to ensure that these young Europeans are more aware of their rights and better equipped to defend them.

20.11.2009 - EU marks 20 years of Child Rights Protection and Looks Ahead

The world celebrates the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – the most universally ratified human rights treaty. The Convention is the first international legally binding instrument establishing minimum standards for the protection and safeguarding of a full range of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights of all children around the world. The internal policies of the EU and its external relations are based on the full respect and promotion of the Convention's principles. This anniversary is an opportunity to recognise the progress achieved in the promotion and protection of children’s rights, but also to reflect on remaining challenges to enable children all over the world to fully enjoy their rights. To highlight the joint commitment to the principles of the UNCRC, the European Commission, UNICEF and UNRIC will jointly mark the 20 anniversary of the adoption of the Convention.

IP/09/1776: EU marks 20 years of Child Rights Protection and Looks Ahead

12.11.2009 - Civil society organisations to discuss EU priorities for integration of immigrants at the 2 nd European Integration Forum

Representatives of civil society organisations from all Member States are gathering in Brussels to discuss future priorities for the integration of immigrants in the European Union. They will meet the European institutions to express their views on common policies and funding to promote integration of third-country nationals in Member States. This is the second meeting of the European Integration Forum, convened twice a year by the Commission together with the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

IP/09/1700: Civil society organisations to discuss EU priorities for integration of immigrants at the 2nd European Integration Forum

11.11.2009 - Making it easier to obtain evidence in criminal matters from one Member State to another and ensuring its admissibility

The European Commission has adopted a Green Paper with a view to taking further action to improve cooperation between Member States on obtaining evidence in criminal matters. The Commission considers replacing the currently fragmented legal regime on obtaining evidence in criminal matters by a single instrument based on the principle of mutual recognition covering all types of evidence and introducing common standards with a view to secure its admissibility before the Courts. The Green Paper consults Member States and relevant stakeholders on the validity of this approach and on a number of issues that are relevant in this respect.

11.11.2009 - Framework decision on mutual recognition of supervision instead of detention published in Official Journal

This Framework Decision lays down rules according to which one Member State recognises a decision on supervision measures issued in another Member State as an alternative to provisional detention, monitors the supervision measures imposed on a natural person and surrenders the person concerned to the issuing State in case of breach of these measures. The decision takes effect 20 days after publication in the Official Journal.

OJ 2009 L 294/20: Council framework decision 2009/829/JHA of 23 October 2009 on the application, between Member States of the European Union, of the principle of mutual recognition to decisions on supervision measures as an alternative to provisional detention

05.11.2009 - Report on the state of drugs problems in Europe: the Commission calls on Member States for a united and coordinated approach

The yearly report published by the European monitoring centre on drugs and drug addictions (EMCDDA) shows that Europe has to face an increasingly sophisticated drug market and a rise increase in multi-consumption of various drugs and alcohol. If cocaine and heroin are still the drugs most consumed, other drugs such as methamphetamines are more and more present in Eastern and Northern Europe. The fall in cannabis use, in particular by young people, gives some hope, although the number of intensive and regular users could reach 2,5% of young Europeans.

26.10.2009 - European Civil Justice Day

Following the events organised in the previous years, this 7th European Civil Justice Day will again provide an opportunity for various events to be organised on or around 25 October in the Member States of the European Union and the Council of Europe. These events may be local conferences, open days, guided tours, meetings with legal practitioners or activities for young people. The shared objective of the events will be to make civil justice more understandable to the public.

IP/09/1584: European Civil Justice Day

21.10.2009 - A single and fairer asylum procedure for a uniform status in the EU: putting in place the final building blocks for international protection

The European Commission has adopted proposals to amend two existing legislative instruments of the Common European Asylum System: the Directive on qualification and status of persons in need of international protection and the Directive on asylum procedures.

20.10.2009 - European Commission adopts its fifth report on visa waiver non-reciprocity with third countries and its ad-hoc report on the reintroduction of the visa requirement by Canada for Czech citizens

The European Commission has adopted its fifth report on certain third countries' maintenance of visa requirements in breach of the principle of reciprocity and the ad-hoc report on the reintroduction of the visa requirement by Canada for Czech citizens. The reports show that – despite the set-back regarding Canada – further progress towards full visa reciprocity has been achieved.

14.10.2009 - EU Commission proposes to simplify the settlement of international successions and to make the rules governing them more predictable

The Commission has adopted a proposal that should considerably simplify the rules on successions with an international dimension in the European Union. The aim is to make life easier for citizens by laying down common rules enabling the competent authority and law applicable to the body of assets making up a succession, wherever they may be, to be easily identified. In addition to providing more effective guarantees for the rights of heirs, legatees and other interested parties, the proposed Regulation will take some of the stress out of succession planning by enabling people to choose the law that will govern the transmission of all their assets. The Commission is also proposing the creation of a European Certificate of Succession enabling an heir or the administrator of a succession to prove their capacity easily throughout the EU.

13.10.2009 - EU Council agrees on the need to apply common measures to prevent or delay the onset of drug use, including poly-drug use

The Council calls for action based on the EU Drugs Action Plan for 2009-2012, which sets as a main priority the reduction of the demand for drugs, and the health and social consequences of drug use by improving the coverage, quality and effectiveness of services of prevention, treatment and harm reduction.

Council Conclusions

08.10.2009 - Eurojust and Europol concluded new agreement

At the recent informal meeting of JHA Ministers in The Hague, Eurojust and Europol signed a new cooperation agreement. The purpose for a new agreement is to enhance the cooperation between Eurojust and Europol in fighting serious forms of international crime. The Agreement governs modalities for closer and increased cooperation, as well as provisions for the exchange of general and personal data, in accordance with Eurojust’s and Europol’s data protection rules.

Eurojust Press Release

01.10.2009 - Strong support for Europol from EU ministers of interior

Ministers of the interior of the European Union gathered in the Hague on 1 October to discuss how to improve EU law enforcement cooperation against cross-border crime. Their discussions centred on how Europol can better contribute to crime–fighting and on how to strengthen the cooperation between Europol and other EU agencies such as the border management agency Frontex and the prosecutors‘ cooperation Eurojust. The ministers of the interior agreed on the need for closer co-operation between those EU agencies and therefore asked Europol, Eurojust and Frontex to draw up a report together on how they could strengthen their cooperation.

Europol Press Release

25.09.2009 - EU's biometric database continues to ensure effective management of the Common European Asylum System

The 2008 annual report on the activities of EURODAC (the EU wide biometric tool which helps determine which Member State is responsible for examining an asylum claim), has been released by the Commission. The report gives essential information on patterns of asylum seeking and illegal entry in the EU, and shows a sharp increase in the number of persons apprehended in connection with irregular crossing of the EU external border. The figure for 'multiple applications' – asylum claims where the same person has already made an application in the same country or in another Member State – remains stable: 17,5% of the asylum applications in 2008 were subsequent asylum applications.

24.09.2009 - Frontex releases report on migration

The global financial crisis has produced the most significant economic downturn after the Second World War. The economic recession in vast majority of Member States has led to a sharp increase in unemployment rates, prompting numerous governments to introduce measures to protect domestic labour markets.

The risk analysis report, compiled din close cooperation between Frontex (EU borders' agency), EU Joint Sit Center, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) looks at the possible connection between the impact of the economic crisis and the decrease in the migratory pressure on the external borders of the European Union.

22.09.2009 - Main results of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels

Ministers welcomed the Commission communication on the establishment of a voluntary joint EU resettlement programme for refugees in third countries and a related proposal amending the existing rules on the European Refugee Fund for the period 2008 to 2013. In a more general discussion, the Council also talked about the principles which should underlie the EU's asylum policy covering both existing and forthcoming proposals in this field. The Council also discussed the issues raised by the arrival of unaccompanied minors with a view to the development of an action plan early in 2010. Ministers also discussed a report by the Commission on the follow-up to the European Council conclusions of 18/19 June 2009. The debate focused on the proposed pilot project for Malta on internal reallocation of beneficiaries of international protection as well as on the role and development of Frontex operations, especially in the Mediterranean region. The Council adopted conclusions on the Commission guidelines for the better transposition and application of the directive on the free movement of EU citizens. In the margin of the Council, the Mixed Committee (the EU plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) examined the state of play of the Visa Information System (VIS). Over lunch, ministers met António Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), for an exchange of views on asylum issues. Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot briefed ministers on the state-of-play regarding visa reciprocity. Particular attention was given to the Canadian visa requirements for Czech nationals.

Council Press Release

21.09.2009 - EU establishes the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for transit through or intended stays in the territory of the Member States not exceeding three months in any six-month period

The provisions of this Regulation shall apply to any third-country national who must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Member States pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders.

OJ 2009 L 243: Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas

10.09.2009 - Commission aims at intensifying fight against serious crime and terrorism by authorizing law enforcement authorities to consult fingerprints of applicants for international protection

The Commission adopted a package of measures aimed at authorising law enforcement authorities to consult the EURODAC database for the purpose of fighting terrorism and serious crime, such as trafficking in human beings and in drugs. The measures also aim at integrating the suggestions of the European Parliament and the Council on the EURODAC Regulation for making the EURODAC database more efficient.

08.09.2009 - EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) transmits opinion on Stockholm programme to all EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers

The Stockholm Programme will - after the Tampere Programme (1999-2004) and the Hague Programme (2004-2009) - build the new multiannual programme defining the priorities of the European Union in the areas of freedom, security and justice. It is planned to be adopted at the European Council in December 2009. The Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Morten Kjaerum underlined the relevance and possible implications the Stockholm Programme has in the area of fundamental rights, by transmitting a written FRA opinion to all EU Ministers of Justice and Interior: "The Stockholm Programme: A chance to put fundamental rights protection right in the centre of the European Agenda".

FRA Opinion: The Stockholm Programme: A chance to put fundamental rights protection right in the centre of the European Agenda

02.09.2009 - Commission steps up efforts on resettlement of refugees

The European Commission has proposed the establishment of a "Joint EU Resettlement Programme". This programme aims to develop resettlement within the EU into a more effective instrument to give protection to refugees, providing for closer political and practical cooperation among EU Member States. This initiative concerns the resettlement of refugees from third countries to an EU Member State. Resettlement is the transfer of refugees, who have provisional protection, from the first country of asylum to another country, where they can start a new life and find permanent protection.

IP/09/1267: Stepping up efforts on resettlement of refugees
MEMO/09/370: Questions and Answers on the establishment of a Joint EU Resettlement Programme

01.09.2009 - Now available - Second flash Eurobarometer survey on the rights of the child

Over 10,000 young people (15-18 years old) across the EU were interviewed in a survey published in August 2009 (flash Eurobarometer n. 273). The survey looks into the level of awareness of children of their rights, as well as their ideas about national and EU-wide actions to be taken in this area. The survey shows that 65% of the respondents were aware of their rights as children. At the same time, 80% of the respondents believed that children in this age group would not know who to ask for help or how if they thought that their rights had been violated. Education, protection from violence (security) and health were considered as policy areas of primary importance in view of the protection of children's rights.