Borders, Enlargement and Neighbourhood / Frontières, élargissement, voisinage

Articles

• Protecting citizens abroad: effective right to diplomatic and consular protection

  11 December 2006, by European Commission
  Citizens of the Union make approximately 180 million trips outside the European Union every year, and half of those residing in the European Union expect to travel to a non-EU country in the next three years. To consider ways of enhancing protection for these people, the European Commission has adopted a Green Paper on consular and diplomatic protection.

• Commission seeks closer ties with neighbours

  11 December 2006, by Euractiv
  The executive is stepping-up financial assistance to help speed reforms in neighbouring countries and seeks closer co-operation to secure energy supplies.

• La Commission souhaite renforcer sa politique européenne de voisinage

  11 décembre 2006, par Euractiv
  L’exécutif bruxellois augmente son aide financière pour accélérer les réformes dans les pays voisins de l’UE et tente de renforcer la coopération avec ces pays pour garantir la sécurité de son approvisionnement énergétique.

• European Parliament briefing papers : Introduction

  5 December 2006, by Centre for European Policy Studies, Challenge, Guild Elspeth
  In 2006, CEPS was asked by the Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament to prepare a number of briefing papers on issues of substantial interest in the field of immigration, asylum, borders, biometrics and data protection. The objective of this series of briefing papers was to inform the Parliamentary Committee on the debates, issues and state of play on these issues. Over the year we prepared 14 briefing papers which can be grouped under six main headings – access to the territory of the EU; lawful presence on the territory; unlawful presence on the territory; expulsion; tracking the individual and a return to intergovernmentality. The European Parliament has, in the spirit of transparency and generosity, permitted us to publish these notes, slightly amended in this collection. Each briefing paper was prepared by a different expert working with the CEPS team. To each of them we are deeply grateful for their hard work and contribution to the project.

• An Assessment of the Proposed Uniform Format for Residence Permits

  4 December 2006, by Hert (de) Paul, Sprokkereef Annemarie
  Council regulation amending Regulation/(EC) 1030/2002 laying down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals provides for a uniform format for a residence permit issued as a stand alone document. This permit shall include a Radio Frequency Chip containing a facial image (within two years of the adoption of technical measures) and include fingerprints in interoperable formats (within three years). The introduction of these two biometric identifiers in the residence permit is justified by the assumption that it is crucial in combating document fraud and fraudulent use to establish a more reliable link between the holder and the residence permit. This assumption is however not quantified in terms of the numbers of fraudulent cases which would be detected. Nor is there any acknowledged assessment of the ways the biometric identifiers chosen can be sabotaged or the system used fraudulently. In view of the many unknowns, such as the public reaction to being fingerprinted or the lack of experience in using these techniques at a larger scale, this is quite surprising. At the very least, in the amended proposal the disadvantages of using biometric identifiers at such a wide scale and at such an early stage in their technical development are not acknowledged to have been fundamentally assessed.

• Legal Migration Law and Policy Trends in a Selection of EU Member States

  4 December 2006, by Carrera Sergio
  This briefing paper offers an overview of the current trends in ‘legal migration’ law and policy in a selection of EU member states. The main tendencies are ascertained through a comparative analysis of their strategies and priorities in the specific areas of labour migration, family reunification and immigration for the purpose of studies. In particular, this paper looks at the legal and political experiences of and responses pursued by Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Spain and The Netherlands. The following issues will be addressed: what are the latest developments in the legal and policy framework covering the admission of third country nationals for the purposes of employment, family reunification and studies? What is the underlying approach taken by EU countries? What are the conditions being applied in each of the cases? Are there any migration policy and legal trends that are common to all the member states of the EU?

• The European Return Fund : Added Value and Vulnerabilities

  4 décembre 2006, par Carrera Sergio , Pusterla Nicoletta
  This briefing paper analyses the added value of European-level financing of an EU return policy and the creation of the European Return Fund (ERF). It also assesses the legal and practical vulnerabilities involved in the ERF, and presents a set of recommendations aimed at policy optimisation. As we will argue, while the ERF could lead to more uniform practices among Member States and to an improvement in quality standards on « return », there are however a series of vulnerabilities of a juridical and practical nature which need to be carefully assessed and openly debated. First, in addition to some concerns about the legal basis and definitions provided in the European Commission’s proposal, it appears that the implementation of a ERF will not offer sufficient human rights guarantees in order to ensure a « secure juridical status » for the individual ( legal vulnerabilities ). Second, there are a number of critical elements in the funding allocation and its implementation, as well as in the definition of the responsible authorities (practical vulnerabilities).

• An Analysis of the Current Common Consular Instructions

  4 December 2006, by Balzacq Thierry, Guild Elspeth, Szymborska Anita, Weinar Agnieszka
  This policy brief presents and critically discusses the content of the Common Consular Instructions (CCI). In this context, the aim of the paper is therefore to offer an analysis of CCI which covers a broad range of aspects, including their operability, their coherence, as well as the technical, legal and political problems they raise. The policy brief then proceeds to address three main sets of questions: What are the technical issues related to the CCI? What are the legal problems related to CCI? What are the political problems related to CCI? Throughout, a particular emphasis is put on the proposed amendments of CCI and their potential impact on individual rights.

• Strengthening the comprehensive European migration policy and providing new impetus

  4 December 2006, by European Commission
  The European Commission today presents two Communications on migration. The first one reinforces the framework for developing a comprehensive European migration policy and the second covers maritime borders management.

• Renforcer la politique globale européenne en matière de migrations et lui donner un nouvel élan

  4 décembre 2006, par European Commission
  La Commission européenne présente aujourd’hui deux communications relatives aux migrations. La première consolide le cadre pour l’élaboration d’une politique globale européenne dans le domaine des migrations et la seconde porte sur la gestion des frontières maritimes.

• EU Action Plan on Justice and Home Affairs in Ukraine

  29 November 2006, by European Council
  The document, adopted on 10 December 2001 by the Council of the European Union, establishes the basis for cooperation and regular consultation on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) between the EU and Ukraine. It is officially presented as a complement to the dispositions contained both in the 1994 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the Union and Ukraine (ratified in 1998) and the 1999 Common strategy of the EU regarding Ukraine. It is now also complemented by the EU-Ukraine Neighbourhood Action Plan, in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

• Pas de nouvel élargissement sans réforme de l’UE, pour la commission des affaires constitutionnelles

  28 novembre 2006, par Parlement européen
  La commission des affaires constitutionnelles du PE estime que l’Union européenne doit développer sa structure institutionnelle, financière et politique avant tout nouvel élargissement futur. Tel est le sens du rapport sur les réformes institutionnelles nécessaires pour améliorer la capacité de l’UE à intégrer de nouveaux Etats membres adopté par les députés lundi soir.

• Council Conclusions on the Western Balkans

  15 November 2006, by European Council
  The Commission is now ready to negotiate the visa agreements with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The aim is to make it easier to travel for citizens from Western Balkan countries, but also to have clear rules on fighting illegal immigration. Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini and Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said that «this step reflects the commitment by the EU in promoting people-to-people contacts between the Western Balkans and the Union» and added that this was a «tangible proof of what the European perspective can offer».

• L’Union européenne et ses voisins

  13 novembre 2006, par European Commission
  Selon un rapport Eurobaromètre spécial sur la politique européenne de voisinage, les Européens pensent qu’en encourageant et en soutenant des réformes dans les pays voisins, l’Union européenne favorisera leur développement économique et social et une bonne gouvernance. Ils espèrent également qu’une stabilité renforcée et un climat économique favorable ainsi qu’une ouverture mutuelle des marchés contribueront à la prospérité dans l’Union européenne. Ils estiment que la coopération avec les pays voisins serait globalement bénéfique, notamment pour faire face aux problèmes communs tels que la sécurité (terrorisme et criminalité organisée), la protection de l’environnement, l’énergie et l’immigration.

• The European Union and its neighbours

  13 November 2006, by European Commission
  A Eurobarometer Special Report on the European Neighbourhood Policy shows that Europeans believe that encouraging and supporting reforms in neighbouring countries will bring benefits for the EU’s neighbours in terms of economic and social development as well as good governance. They also expect that promoting stability and a favourable economic environment, as well as the mutual opening of markets, will contribute to prosperity within the EU. They see overall benefits to cooperation with neighbours, particularly working together to tackle mutual challenges such as security (tackling terrorism and organised crime), environmental protection, energy and migration.

• Accession of Bulgaria and Romania: German Parliament calls for possible JHA safeguards

  13 November 2006, by Geyer Florian
  A broad majority of MPs in the German Bundestag voted on 26 October 2006 in favour of a joint parliamentary motion, calling for safeguard measures in the area of Justice and Home Affairs in relation to Bulgaria and Romania. While the wording of the parliamentary motion itself leaves some vagueness as to the precise date of such safeguards, clear statements on this question were made in the parliamentary debate. While conservatives vigorously called for immediate action as from 1 January 2007, their government coalition partners, the social-democrats, considered such a move «populistic and therefore wrong».

• Security in the Information Age: New Challenges, New Strategies

  4 September 2006, by Joint Economic Committee, United States Congress
  This compendium represents a range of perspectives on infrastructure protection in the United States, from definitions and strategies to business challenges and policy actions. Topics covered include: Critical infrastructure assurance; cybersecurity policy; national security; early warning; law enforcement and national defence; counterintelligence and infrastructure protection; and information assurance.

• Ensemble de mesures pour renforcer la solidarité entre les États membres en matière de gestion des frontières et pour lutter contre l’immigration clandestine

  24 July 2006, by European Commission
  La Commission a adopté aujourd’hui un ensemble de mesures comprenant: 1) une communication sur les priorités en matière de lutte contre l’immigration clandestine de ressortissants de pays tiers; 2) une proposition de règlement établissant un code des visas communautaire et 3) une proposition de règlement relatif aux compétences et au financement d’équipes d’intervention rapide aux frontières, détachées dans un autre État membre pour lui fournir une assistance technique et opérationnelle. Ce train de mesures intensifie sensiblement les efforts déployés par l’UE pour renforcer la solidarité entre États membres et lutter plus énergiquement contre l’immigration clandestine.

• Package of measures to reinforce solidarity between Member States in border management and fight illegal immigration more vigorously

  19 July 2006, by European Commission
  Today the Commission adopted a package of measures comprising 1) a Communication on policy priorities in the fight against illegal immigration of third-country nationals, 2) a proposal for a Regulation establishing a Community Code on visas and a 3) a proposal for a Regulation on the powers and the financing of rapid reaction teams of border guards seconded to another Member State to provide technical and operational assistance. This package significantly reinforces the EU’s efforts to increase solidarity between Member States and fight illegal immigration more vigorously.

• Après Ceuta et Mellila, les stratégies de l’Union européenne

  18 July 2006, by Gisti
  Les événements dramatiques de Ceuta et Melilla qui ont vu, à l’automne 2005, des migrants subsahariens payer de leur vie leur tentative de franchissement de la frontière entre le Maroc et l’Espagne ont mis en lumière la façon brutale dont l’Union européenne délègue la gestion de sa politique d’asile et d’immigration.

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