Main results of the Justice and Home Affairs Council

The Council discussed the attacks which were perpetrated in Mumbai. EU-wide coordinated measures were immediately activated in Brussels and in Mumbai, and upon the initiative of the presidency, to put European solidarity into effect. Means of medical, consular and evacuation assistance are already on their way to Mumbai. The Council reiterated that, in this context, EU citizens whose States are not represented in Mumbai, may use the consular services of any other Member State there.

On the basis of the report by Gilles de Kerchove, the European Coordinator of the Fight against Terrorism, the Council also fixed the priority areas in the fight against terrorism. It also examined the review of the work carried out on the proposal concerning the transfer and processing of airline passenger data within the EU.

The Council also debated the implementation of the Global Approach to migration and partnership with the countries of origin and transit, while emphasising the importance of protecting the free movement of persons within the EU against the abuse created, inter alia, by illegal immigration.

The Council furthermore invited Member States to welcome Iraqi refugees. Welcome should be offered on a voluntary-basis, in accordance with the hosting capacity of the Member States, and in light of the efforts already made in these countries to host refugees. The target could be to welcome 10 000 refugees.

The Council reached agreement on both the framework decision on the European supervision order in pre-trial procedures between Member States of the European Union, and the overhaul of the judicial cooperation network in civil and commercial matters.

It then adopted a report on the implementation of a common reference framework for European contract law, an action plan concerning European e-justice and conclusions on the child abduction alert system.

The Council also fixed the lifting of border controls at land borders between Switzerland and its EU neighbours for the 12 December next, while the lifting of air borders will begin on 29 March 2009, corresponding with the transition to summer time.

Lastly, five important legislative instruments were adopted without discussion by the Council. This concerned:

• a framework decision to combat racism and xenophobia,
• a framework decision on the protection of personal data processes in the framework of police and judicial criminal cooperation,
• a framework decision on mutual recognition in probation matters,
• a framework decision on the amendment of the definition of terrorism, and,
• a framework decision on mutual recognition of judgments in criminal matters.

 

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Justice and Home Affairs Council (Announcement)
 
 

• Updated: 30.12.2008

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