Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 May 2004
202 Mr. O’Connor asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will report on his Department’s endeavours in respect of Ireland’s EU Presidency; and his plans for the remainder of the term. [15760/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer the Deputy to my appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights on Wednesday 19 May 2004. At this meeting I provided the committee with a detailed briefing on the progress to date during the Irish Presidency in the Justice and Home Affairs Council and on the Presidency's plans for the forthcoming JHA Council in June.
In that statement, I indicated that justice and home affairs continues to represent a key area of activity for both the European Union and the Irish Presidency. Our Presidency of the JHA Council has come at a crucial time in the creation of an area of freedom, security and justice foreseen by the Amsterdam Treaty, given that the treaty sets a deadline of 1 May 2004 for the adoption of specified measures to establish that area and that 2004 also marks the end of the more ambitious five year programme agreed by the Tampere European Council for that purpose. Our Presidency has also coincided with the tragic events in Madrid on 11 March. The terrorist attacks in Madrid demanded a response at the level of the Union. The Irish Presidency and the JHA Council has taken the lead in providing that response.
The JHA Council has met five times to-date including the informal JHA Council held in Dublin in January and the extraordinary JHA Council which was required following the terrorist attack in Madrid. A sixth meeting is planned for 8 June.
Key achievements to date in the Justice and Home Affairs Council to which I referred include: the Justice and Home Affairs Council's input into the declaration on combating terrorism adopted by the European Council in March; the formal adoption of the asylum qualifications directive; the political agreement reached on the asylum procedures directive; the adoption of the Council directive on the residence permit issued to victims of trafficking in human beings or to third country nationals who have been the subject of an action to facilitate illegal immigration, who co-operate with the competent authorities; the political agreement reached on the Council directive on the conditions of admission of third country nationals for the purposes of studies, pupil exchange, unremunerated training or voluntary service; the adoption of the Council directive on the obligations of carriers to communicate passenger data; the adoption of the Council decision on the organisation of joint flights for removals from the territory of two or more member states of third country nationals who are the subject of individual removal orders; the political agreement reached on the Council regulation on the establishment of a European border management agency; the adoption of the regulation on a European enforcement order for uncontested claims, and the adoption of the Council directive relating to compensation to crime victims, in the area of civil law measures; general agreement on the text of the framework decision on the mutual recognition of confiscation orders; the adoption of Council conclusions which endorse a work programme to combat football related violence; and the agreement of a new strategy for customs co-operation in the third pillar and a related work plan for the period 2004 to 2006.
The Irish Presidency has also progressed work in the fight against drugs, particularly the recent conference in Dublin which worked on identifying a strategy for drugs for 2005 to 2009. The forthcoming meeting of the Council in June will deal with the follow-up to the declaration on combating terrorism. Other items on the agenda are likely to include the Council decision establishing the visa information system, the Council regulation on standards for security features and biometrics in EU citizens' passports, the appointment of the next director of Europol and a communication from the Commission reviewing the progress made in implementing the Tampere programme and suggesting orientations for its successor.
