The German EU Council Presidency was able to realize further important projects of its Presidency Programme at the last meeting of EU home affairs ministers.
The ministers agreed to transpose major elements of the Prüm Treaty into the EU's legal framework. In Luxembourg, Federal Minister Schäuble stated, "Transposing the treaty into EU legislation will enable all 27 EU Member States to benefit from the enormous added value provided by the treaty. Our aim is to create a modern police information network for more effective crime control throughout Europe. Furthermore, the Treaty will help to considerably step up operational police cooperation. Transposing the Prüm Treaty into EU legislation will add a new dimension to the cooperation of police authorities in Europe", Federal Minister Schäuble said.
Another issue discussed at today's Council meeting was the status of the Framework Decision on Data Protection in the Third Pillar. Federal Minister Schäuble stated: "We need to keep in mind that the existing tools governing police and judicial cooperation already provide for data protection regulations tailored to specific sectors. The new regulation which we are looking at now and which cuts across the Third Pillar needs to comply with these regulations and with the existing Council of Europe conventions. At the beginning of the German Presidency we had to cope with approximately 250 reservations expressed concerning this instrument. Meanwhile, we have made good progress in our negotiations. The draft text has been completely overhauled, which has led to a noticeable decrease in the number of reservations. Further solutions for other core issues are discernible. At the same time, the regulations provide a high level of protection. We have thus made it possible to bring about agreement by the end of this year," Federal Minister Schäuble explained.
Furthermore, the ministers agreed to incorporate Europol into the legal framework of the EU by replacing the Europol Convention with a Council Decision. The aim is to extend the mandate of the European Police Office to all types of severe cross-border crime requiring a common response by the Member States concerned. Accordingly, Europol will no longer be restricted to dealing with organized crime. Furthermore, Europol's budget will be paid for from EU funds as of 2010, and EC Staff Regulations will be applied to Europol staff. This adjustment is meant to abolish special regulations and reduce administrative work in the long run. However, before that some as yet unsolved legal issues need to be settled. Europol and the Commission will draft a roadmap to solve these issues.
Another issue the ministers discussed today were the Commission communications regarding the expansion of the global approach to migration to Europe's eastern and south-eastern neighbouring regions, and regarding circular migration and mobility partnerships with third states. The home affairs ministers expressly welcomed the two Commission communications presented by Vice-President Frattini today. They agreed that cooperation and dialogue with third states needs to be strengthened and deepened in order to effectively combat illegal migration and control migration to Europe. As regards circular migration, the Council encouraged further considerations as to how to integrate legal possibilities for migration into the EU's foreign policy in order to bring about balanced partnerships with interested third states. The ministers also concurred that pilot partnerships should be launched to try out the concept of mobility partnerships. They requested the Commission to sound out with interested third states under which conditions such pilot partnerships could be launched in order to take a decision by the end of the year.
The Council has also adopted conclusions to strengthen cooperation in the field of integration policy and to promote intercultural dialogue. They provide for improved, constant and lasting cooperation at EU level and between Member States with regard to integration and intercultural dialogue.
In addition, the Council meeting dealt with the Commission proposal for a Directive on sanctions against employers of illegally staying third-country nationals, the Commission Draft on extending the Directive on permanently resident third-country nationals to refugees and persons granted subsidiary protection, the Commission's Evaluation Report on what is referred to as the Dublin system, and the Commission's Green Paper on the future common European asylum system. Vice-President Frattini informed the ministers in depth about the Commission's dossiers. The Council will thoroughly deal with these proposals under the upcoming Portuguese Presidency.
