18/11/14
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10 February 2011
One year ago today, on 10 February 2010, Cecilia Malmström took office as EU Commissioner for Home Affairs. It has been very intense, and sometimes a tougher debate than I had expected. At the same time it is a privilege to work with these important issues that really affect the everyday lives of our citizens, says Cecilia Malmström when summing up the past 12 months.
The first day in office Cecilia Malmström dealt with the issue of an agreement between the EU and the United States on tracking terrorist financing. From then on the Directive proposals and initiatives followed closely upon one another, such as common rules on reception of unaccompanied minors, a proposal for facilitating labour migration, proposals against human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children, a proposal on measures to fight cybercrime, common rules on homemade explosives, an inventory of what the EU has done so far to fight terrorism, and an internal security strategy for the EU for the coming four years. A few days ago, she proposed common EU rules on the use of passenger name records data to fight serious crime and terrorism.
"I am the most proud of having managed to get the legislative proposal on actions against human trafficking through in record time. It is absolutely awful that there is a broad slave trade going on in Europe in 2011, where mostly women and girls, but also men and boys are being abused and sold every day. To introduce tougher and more harmonised penalties and better protection of the victims was one of the first things I did when I took office, and just before Christmas the European Parliament and the Council voted strongly in favour of the proposal. I am very happy about that", says Cecilia Malmström.
Asylum and migration issues have also taken up a lot of time, and lots of hard work remain in order to be able to agree on a common EU asylum and migration policy by 2012. Looking ahead, 2011 seems to be as intense as the previous year. Apart from asylum and migration, there is an ongoing evaluation of the Data Retention Directive, proposals on corruption and other economic criminal activity are under construction, and so are proposals on smarter borders. To mention just a few of the issues in the pipeline.
To celebrate the first year as EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström launches today her English blog, where you can follow and comment on her work.
