Tag Archives: Cecilia Malmström

by | 22 Nov 2010 · 16:37

Commission Issues New “EU Internal Security Strategy”

Earlier today the Commission released a Communication entitled “The EU Internal Security Strategy in Action.” The Communication to the EP and Council contains 41 proposals in five general areas: organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime and cyber security, border management, and crises and disasters.  It contains a strategy which is described as an effort to identify, explain, and coordinate what the EU seeks to achieve in the area of internal security.  The accompanying Commission Press Release quotes Commissioner Malmström as stating that “EU internal security has traditionally been following a silo mentality, focusing on one area at a time. Now we take a common approach on how to respond to the security threats and challenges ahead. Terrorism, organised, cross-border and cyber crime, and crises and disasters are areas where we need to combine our efforts and work together in order to increase the security of our citizens, businesses, and societies across the EU. This strategy outlines the threats ahead and the necessary actions we must take in order to be able to fight them….”

Here are several excerpts (with some footnotes omitted) from Objective Number 4 entitled “Strengthen security through border management”:

“[***] In relation to movement of persons, the EU can treat migration management and the fight against crime as twin objectives of the integrated border management strategy. It is based on three strategic strands.

  • An enhanced use of new technology for border checks (the second generation of the Schengen Information System (SIS II), the Visa Information System (VIS), the entry/exit system and the registered traveller programme);
  • an enhanced use of new technology for border surveillance (the European Border Surveillance System, EUROSUR) with the support of GMES security services, and the gradual creation of a common information sharing environment for the EU maritime domain [25 Commission communication, ‘Towards the integration of maritime surveillance: A Common information environment for the EU maritime domain’, COM (2009) 538 ]; and
  • an enhanced coordination of Member States through Frontex.

[***]

Action 1: Exploit the full potential of EUROSUR

The Commission will present a legislative proposal to set up EUROSUR in 2011 to contribute to internal security and the fight against crime. EUROSUR will establish a mechanism for Member States’ authorities to share operational information related to border surveillance and for cooperation with each other and with Frontex at tactical, operational and strategic level. [27 Commission proposals for the development of the EUROSUR system and for the development of a common information sharing environment (CISE) for the EU maritime domain are set out in COM (2008) 68 and COM(2009) 538 respectively. A six step road map for establishing the CISE was recently adopted – COM(2010) 584.]  EUROSUR will make use of new technologies developed through EU funded research projects and activities, such as satellite imagery to detect and track targets at the maritime border, e.g. tracing fast vessels transporting drugs to the EU. In recent years, two major initiatives on operational cooperation at the maritime borders have been launched – one on human trafficking and human smuggling under the umbrella of Frontex and the second on drugs smuggling in the framework of MAOC-N [28 MAOC-N – Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics] and CeCLADM. [29 CeCLAD-M – Centre de Coordination pour la lutte antidrogue en Méditerranée.]

As part of the development of integrated and operational action at the EU’s maritime border, the EU will launch in 2011 a pilot project at its southern or south-western border, involving those two centres, the Commission, Frontex and Europol. This pilot project will explore synergies on risk analysis and surveillance data in common areas of interest concerning different types of threats, such as drugs and people smuggling. [30 This project will complement the other integrated maritime surveillance projects such as BlueMassMed and Marsuno, which aim to optimise the efficiency of maritime surveillance in the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic and the northern European sea basins.]

Action 2: Enhancing the contribution of Frontex at the external borders

[***] From 2011 onwards, the Commission, with joint input from Frontex and Europol, will present a report by the end of each year on specific cross-border crimes such as human trafficking, human smuggling and smuggling of illicit goods. This annual report will serve as a basis for assessing the need for Frontex and its joint operations and joint operations between police, customs and other specialised law enforcement authorities to be carried out from 2012 onwards. [***]”

Click here for the complete Commission Document.

Click here for Commission’s Press Release.

Click here for the Feb 2010 Council Draft Internal Security Strategy.

Click here (SW) for comments on Commissioner Malmström’s blog.

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by | 06 Oct 2010 · 20:05

Cecilia Malmström: Back From Libya

Commissioner Malmström writes her own blog, Cecilia Malmström Mitt Europa (My Europe).  Here is her most recent posting regarding her trip to Libya (translated from Swedish with Google Translate).  There are several points worth noting – and worrying about.  She notes that Libya is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or 1967 Protocol.  (Though Libya is a signatory to the OAU Refugee Convention.)  She suggests that the new migration agreement between the EU and Libya will involve the UNHCR, but no insight is offered regarding whether or how the UNHCR might return to Libya.  She concedes that the European Commission does not know all of the details of the bi-lateral agreement between Italy and Libya which has resulted in the current push-back practice in the central Mediterranean.  And she seems to say that she was greatly troubled by what she saw when she visited one of the southern migrant detention centres in Libya during her official trip.

Translated excerpts:

“Just returned from Libya … I have been there to try to initiate a dialogue between the EU and Libya on issues relating to asylum, migration and international protection. … I believe it is necessary to have a dialogue with Libya.

Libya has not signed the Geneva Convention and the concept of asylum is not in Libyan law. … Since Italy and Libya signed an agreement, which we unfortunately do not know everything about, it has basically been that case that no boats are crossing the Mediterranean.

Against this background, I see it as progress that the first time we have agreed a text with Libya, a version of a plan for cooperation, which deals with issues of asylum and international protection…  Our aim is to identify people in need of international protection, while helping Libya to raise standards in the detention centres in order to provide decent conditions to people. We also address the issues of border control, labor migration and human smuggling in this plan for cooperation. From the EU side, we are prepared to put up 50 million euros over three years to support reforms. These will obviously not be given as a blank check to Libya but will be provided using the guidelines of the European Commission. For example, we support specific projects by various organizations, including the UNHCR.

Besides holding talks with Libyan ministers, I also visited Libya’s southern border in the middle of the desert, observed International Organisation for Migration activities in Libya, and visited one of the detention centres where many migrants have ended up. I had the opportunity to talk to some of the people there.  Several of these stories that I heard have kept both me and my staff awake at night. …”

Click here for the full posting.

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by | 06 Oct 2010 · 05:28

EU and Libya Sign “Unclear” Migration Cooperation Agreement

At the end of a two day visit to Tripoli, 4-5 October, Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, and Štefan Füle, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood, signed a “migration cooperation agenda” with Libya.  The European Commission issued a Press Release with details of the negotiations and signed agreement.

The specific contents of the full agreement and negotiations however are not clear.  “‘What worries us is the vagueness of the deal,’ Annelise Baldaccini from Amnesty International told [euobserver.com]. ‘We do not know what the EU has signed up to. It mentions for instance addressing the burden of recognised refugees and rejected asylum seekers, but it does not say what this involves.’”

Here are some excerpts from the Commission press release:

In the framework of the visit an agreement on a migration cooperation agenda was signed yesterday evening in Tripoli by Commissioner Malmström, Commissioner Füle, M. Moussa Koussa, the Secretary of General People’s Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation, and M. Yunis Al-Obeidi, the Secretary of General People’s Committee for Public Security. This is a Cooperation agenda between the European Commission and Libya, including concrete steps on border surveillance system, mobility-related issues, smuggling and trafficking in human beings, and dialogue on refugees and international protection.

Commenting the signature of the Cooperation agenda Commissioner Malmström said: ”It is my objective to put the protection of fundamental rights of all people involved in migratory and asylum flows at the centre of our efforts in the EU relationship with Libya. The Cooperation Agenda will enable us also to promote initiatives aimed at better protecting and assisting the rights of migrants and refugees’.

Commissioner Füle said: “I welcome agreeing on this cooperation agenda because this is an important first step to solve the serious challenge irregular migration poses not only to Libya but also to the EU. This step is part of the much broader relationship we are trying to build together. It was clear from our talks in Tripoli that both EU and Libya have at heart to sustain the new momentum in our relationship over recent months.”

The EU and Libya also discussed the establishment of an informal group of senior officials that would oversee the implementation of the list of possible initiatives in the field of migration cooperation. The proposed initiatives will be implemented through a variety of means, ranging from the sharing of experience and best practices, as well as financing of actions, including the acquisition of equipment in accordance with applicable rules.

Both sides agreed on the following initiatives for possible further dialogue and cooperation.

1. Regional and Pan african dialogue and cooperation

  • Increasing joint efforts in the development of African countries of origin of migration. This would build on the serious and substantial efforts of Libya and the European Union as major donors to African countries. In this context, the EU and Libya will continue to address root causes of migration in the countries of origin of migrants travelling through Libya and creating viable alternatives to migration in these countries.
  • The EU and Libya will support awareness campaigns to take place in main countries of origin of migrants transiting through North Africa and Libya specifically to alert migrants to the dangers of irregular migration.
  • Libya and the EU will work together in the implementation of the “Declaration of Tripoli on Migration and Development” of 2006, and the EU-Africa Migration, Mobility and Employment Partnership adopted in Lisbon in 2007.
  • Libya and the EU will increase dialogue and exchange information regarding the issue of smuggling of human beings and related illicit traffics reaching Libya from other countries and the EU from Libya.
  • Libya and the EU will also establish an informal consultative group that will exchange information on development policies benefitting Africa, and possibly also to identify development projects in sub Saharan Africa. This group will be composed by the Libyan administration, by the representatives of the European Commission and of the EU member States which are willing to participate.

[***]

3. Ensuring effective management of migratory flows

  • Supporting the development in Libya of a more efficient system to manage labour migration. This could be done by allowing to maximise the skills of the migrants already present in the country and of the newcomers.
  • Enhancing the capacities of Libyan authorities, Libyan NGOs and international organisations, to properly launch and implement search and rescue operations aimed at saving lives of migrants in the desert or on high seas and to provide them with the necessary humanitarian assistance.
  • Providing decent treatment, reception and assistance – in line with international standards – to irregular migrants intercepted or readmitted or to be returned by Libyan authorities, or stranded in Libya, with focus on migrants belonging to vulnerable categories (like unaccompanied minors, victims of trafficking; pregnant women, and families with small children). This could build on the activities already carried out in Libya by the local authorities, international organisations and NGOs.
  • Offering assisted voluntary return home to irregular migrants intercepted or readmitted or to be returned by Libyan authorities, or stranded in Libya or in the countries of origin, as well as offer support for their social and professional reintegration.
  • Enhancing the capacity to address smuggling and trafficking in human beings, with reference in particular to the two respective protocols of the 2000 UN Convention on the Trans-national organised Crime, and in view of reinforcing the capabilities of law enforcement officials in charge of the implementation of this legislation, by taking also into the account the Ouagadougou Action Plan to combat Trafficking in Human Beings.

4. Border management

  • Carrying out a gap-analysis on the current functioning modalities of the Libyan border and immigration services, aimed at reinforcing the capacity of the latter to prevent the irregular migration flows from entering Libya from its Southern borders.
  • Strengthening cooperation between Libya and the neighbouring and other transit and origin countries, in the border surveillance and in the prevention of attempts of irregular migrants and smugglers to violate Libyan borders, through promoting joint patrolling, intelligence sharing, the development of joint training, the facilitation of working contacts and the establishment of dedicated communication channels aimed at transmitting early warnings and sensible data.
  • Supporting the development of Libyan patrolling, search and rescue capacities in its territorial waters and at high sea. Delimiting the search and rescue region for which it Libya is responsible, pursuant to the SAR Convention it has ratified.
  • Establishment of an integrated surveillance system along the Libyan land borders, with focus on the areas prone to irregular migration flows, in line with the Memorandum of Understanding agreed between Libya and the European Commission on 23 July 2007.
  • Exploring concrete possibilities of cooperation between Libyan police, border, migration authorities and agencies and those of the EU Member States as regards the return and readmission of irregular migrants.

5. International Protection

  • Supporting Libya in its efforts aimed at establishing a protection system able to deal with asylum seekers and refugees in line with international standards and in good cooperation with the competent international organisation , in particular through providing advice on the development of a legislation in line with the 1969 African Union Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa as well as providing training, technical assistance and equipment in view of promoting the development of administrative structures and human resources, able to properly act in line with this legislation
  • Assisting Libyan authorities in screening migrants in order to identify those in need of international protection and in addressing the burden represented both by the recognized refugees and the unsuccessful asylum seekers, and which would consist in resettling some of the recognized refugees towards EU Member States, in supporting the voluntary return of some of the unsuccessful asylum seekers back to their origin country, as well as in enhancing the reception capacities offered in Libya to asylum seekers and refugees.

Click here for full European Commission Press Release.

Click here, here, and here for articles.

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by | 15 Sep 2010 · 05:55

ECRE Statement Re EU Conference on Quality and Efficiency in the Asylum Process

ECRE released a statement at the conclusion of this week’s EU Ministerial Conference on Quality and Efficiency in the Asylum Process:

“… Since its peak in the early 1990s, the number of asylum applications lodged within the European Union has experienced a sharp decline, despite the increase in some individual Member States. However, a difficult political and economic environment in Europe is fuelling little appetite for welcoming foreigners, which is translated into a slow progress at the table of negotiations to build a Common European Asylum System.

ECRE believes that initiatives to increase practical cooperation, such as this conference and the establishment of a European Asylum Support Office, which will soon be up and running in Malta, will help to make the asylum system fairer and more efficient. For instance, yesterday’s discussions have provided examples of how to improve the treatment of children or traumatised asylum seekers. Also, pooling resources with regard to information about the home countries of asylum seekers, interpretation services and training can contribute to better decisions.

Bjarte Vandvik, ECRE’s Secretary General, said: ‘The current EU asylum system is failing both Member States and people who arrive to Europe fleeing war or persecution. Practical cooperation is part of the solution but will not be enough. European Member States also need to resolve the impasse in the negotiations and work together to agree on fairer common asylum rules’.

Asylum seekers still have hugely different chances of being granted international protection depending on the EU country that will examine their application. For instance, in 2009, virtually no Iraqis were recognised as refugees in Greece, while in Germany, 77% of Iraqi asylum seekers were granted international protection and could rebuild their lives. A harmonised asylum system with higher standards of protection would not be only fairer; it would also be more efficient and less costly in the longer term.”

Click here for information on the Conference organised by the Belgian Presidency.

Click here for Commissioner Cecilia Malmström’s statement at the conference.

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by | 15 Jul 2010 · 04:17

Malmström Meets With Libyan Foreign Minister

Commissioner Cecilia Malmström met with Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa on 13 July.  I cannot find any reference to the meeting on Commissioner Malmström’s official web site, but she mentions the meeting on her personal blog (written in Swedish).   She writes simply that she met with the FM and that “Libya is a complex but important neighbour and we have a lot to talk about – not least, migration and asylum and human rights.  The meeting was a first opportunity to talk.” (translation using Google translate.)

According to an article in Il Manifesto (and reposted on the Diritti Globali web site where I first read / Google-translated it), the ongoing EU-Libya partnership accord talks and the immigration aspects of the accord were discussed in the meeting between the Libyan FM and Malmström.

Also apparently discussed at the meeting was Libya’s decision to release up to 3000 detained migrants from several detention centres, including the Eritreans who were likely detained by Libya after being interdicted at sea and subjected to Italy’s push-back practice.

From the Il Manifesto article:

Quanto alle responsabilità italiane nella vicenda, legate in particolare al fatto che 103 dei 205 detenuti di Braq sono stati respinti in mare dalle navi italiane, la Commissione Ue continua a mantenere un profilo alquanto basso. Ieri Stefano Manservisi, Direttore generale della DG interni della Commissione Ue, intervenendo al dibattito in Parlamento sugli eritrei, ha affermato che «non abbiamo informazioni su dove sono state intercettate queste persone, non si può dire che Malta doveva fare o l’Italia doveva fare, si sa che ora sono in Libia e dobbiamo verificare in che condizioni si trovano». .[…]

Per ora il silenzio, che dura da un anno sui respingimenti, e poche parole anche sul Trattato di partenariato, amicizia e cooperazione tra Italia-Libia, che ha di fatto dato il via libera a questa nuova politica. «Riguardo agli accordi bilaterali, a titolo personale – ha affermato ancora il numero 2 della Malmström – considero migliore un accordo europeo a uno bilaterale, ma ci vuole chiarezza, questo accordo ha pure dimostrato la propria efficacia, è un dato di fatto che il flusso di immigrati si è bloccato».  E ancora: «Ci è stato notificato un accordo in linea con la normativa Ue, anche se c’è una componente segreta che non conosciamo». Pur con questa dosi di oscurità, per la Commissione il futuro dell’intesa tra Bruxelles e Tripoli dovrebbe ricalcare una buona parte dell’ accordo tra Berlusconi e Gheddafi: «Dobbiamo fare modo che ciò che è coperto da accordi bilaterali possa diventare base accordo più amplio», ha concluso Manservisi.

Per procedere nei contatti, lo stesso Direttore generale si recherà in Libia prima dell’autunno, quindi toccherà alla commissaria Malmström in ottobre, il tutto in vista della stesura di un accordo generale che parli di immigrazione, ma anche controllo delle frontiere, visti e relazioni economiche. Altro appuntamento chiave il vertice Ue-Unione africana del 29 e 30 novembre a Sirte.

Click here (SV) for the Commissioner’s personal blog post.

Click here (IT) for full Il Manifesto article.

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by | 18 Jun 2010 · 19:50

EUROSTAT: 2009 EU27 Asylum Statistics and Characteristics of Asylum Seekers

Excerpts from the EUROSTAT asylum statistics press release issued on 18 June 2010:

The EU27 Member States granted protection to 78 800 asylum seekers in 2009 compared with 75 100 in 2008.

The largest groups of beneficiaries of protection status in the EU27 were citizens of Somalia (13 400 persons or 17% of the total number of persons granted protection status), Iraq (13 100 or 17%) and Afghanistan (7 100 or 9%).

In 2009, 317 500 decisions on asylum applications were made in the EU27, of which 228 600 were first instance decisions and 88 900 final decisions on appeal. Decisions made at the first instance resulted in 61 700 persons being granted protection status, while a further 17 100 received protection status on appeal.

The rate of recognition of asylum applicants, i.e. the share of positive decisions in the total number of decisions, was 27% for first instance decisions and 19% for final decisions on appeal.

In 2009, the highest number of persons granted protection status was registered in the United Kingdom (12 500), followed by Germany (12 100), France (10 400), Sweden (9 100), Italy (8 600) and the Netherlands (8 100). These Member States accounted for more than three quarters of all those granted protection status in the EU27.

The rate of recognition varies considerably among Member States…. The highest rates of recognition in the first instance were recorded in Malta (66%), Slovakia (56%), Portugal (51%), the Netherlands and Denmark (both 48%), and the lowest in Greece (1%), Ireland (4%), Spain (8%), France (14%) and Slovenia (15%).

Somalis were the single largest group of persons granted protection status in the EU27.

[M]inors accounted for 60 500 of the applicants [in 2009], of which 12 200 were unaccompanied.

Click here for the EUROSTAT Asylum Statistics document.

Click here for EUROSTAT Characteristics of asylum seekers in Europe report.

Click here for EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström’s statement on the EUROSTAT reports.

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by | 13 May 2010 · 04:14

EU-Libya Association Agreement Negotiations

A Reuters article from 11 May reports that the EU and Libya may sign a cooperation pact known as an Association Agreement before the end of the year and that the pact would address matters such as trade and the control illegal immigration.   An EU mission will likely be opened in Libya before the end of the year according to Reuters.

Commissioner Cecilia Malmström during an interview with the Times of Malta several weeks ago referred to her efforts to begin immigration discussions with Libya:

“Libya is not exactly the easiest government to cooperate with and you know that much better being neighbours. It’s a complicated but important country and we will try to move forward. I’ve already written a letter to the Libyan Foreign Minister suggesting that we should sit together and identify areas where we can cooperate more in the field of migration.”

And Frontex’s 2009 General Report states that one of Frontex’s “overriding priorit[ies]” for 2010 is the development of “structured operational co-operation with neighbouring Mediterranean countries.”  Presumably Frontex desires such an agreement with Libya.

Click here and here for articles.

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by | 08 May 2010 · 14:26

LIBE Vote Scheduled for 10 May re Challenge to Frontex Sea Border Surveillance Rule

LIBE members are scheduled to vote on Monday, 10 May, regarding a request to the JURI committee to approve an ECJ challenge to the new Frontex sea border surveillance rules.  Draft Agenda item 4: “Comitology measure on sea border surveillance (FRONTEX): Request to JURI concerning referral to European Court of Justice.”  The vote is scheduled to follow a report by Commissioner Cecilia Malmström to LIBE regarding the Commission’s work since its entry into office.

Click here for draft agenda.

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by | 03 May 2010 · 04:17

Malmström: Frontex Sea Operation Guidelines May Be Re-Negotiated by Participating Member States

Commissioner Cecilia Malmström was in Malta on 30 April for meetings with Maltese officials.  Malta recently reaffirmed its decision not to host Frontex’s Operation Chronos.  Malmström trip was planned before Malta’s announcement.  There is no indication that Malta changed its position during Malmström’s visit.

Malmström was interviewed during her visit by the Times of Malta and said that the new guidelines governing Frontex enforcement operations at sea could be negotiated by member states on a mission by mission basis.  The new guidelines require that intercepted migrants be taken to the country hosting the Frontex mission, but  Malmström said there is the possibility before a mission starts that the participating member states agree on different rules of engagement, which might include the sharing of responsibility where not all intercepted migrants would be brought to country hosting the mission.

Presumably participating member states would not be permitted to negotiate substantive mission by mission changes to the guidelines so as to undercut the very reasons for which the guidelines were recently adopted.

Click here for Times of Malta article.

Click here for video of Times of Malta Interview.

Click here, here, and here for other articles regarding the visit.

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by | 30 Apr 2010 · 04:15

Malmström: Right to Seek Asylum At Sea Should Be Respected

Commissioner Cecilia Malmström held meetings in Italy yesterday and has meetings in Malta today.  In her meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini she suggested that any possible future migration agreement between the EU and Tripoli ”would not follow the model of the [current migration] agreement between Italy and Libya.”  ANSA reported she said that while it is ”important to try and begin dialogue” with Tripoli, ”if there is an agreement, it is clear that the fundamental condition for Libya must be adherence to the Geneva Convention or the equivalent among African states ”on the rights of political refugees.”

In regard to current practices, Malmström said that the right to seek asylum should be respected even when one is already at sea. (”Bisogna comunque – ha concluso la Malmstrom – rispettare il diritto di chiedere asilo quando si e’ gia’ in mare”.)

Click here (IT), here (EN), and here (IT) for articles.

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by | 26 Apr 2010 · 06:32

Commissioner Cecilia Malmström’s blog – Mitt Europa

This is not new, but I just noticed Cecilia Malmström’s blog, Mitt Europa.   It is in Swedish but easily accessible using Google Translate.   Given the difficulty in accessing information concerning the European Commission and Frontex, perhaps some interesting information will turn up from time to time.

Click here for blog.

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by | 15 Apr 2010 · 05:43

Frontex Operation Chronos Delayed Pending Talks With Malta

Times of Malta reports that Frontex will delay the start of its central Mediterranean enforcement mission, Operation Chronos (known in previous years as Operation Nautilus), pending talks between the European Commission and the Maltese Government regarding the new Frontex guidelines governing enforcement operations at sea.   EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström is scheduled to go to Malta for meetings with the Maltese Government on 30 April.  The Times of Malta article states that “Ms Malmström had already announced she would continue speaking to Malta over the Frontex guidelines because she considered the island an important player in the fight against illegal immigration, a Commission official in Brussels said. ‘Ms Malmström has decided to personally visit Malta later this month to engage the government in more talks to try to find a solution acceptable to both parties,’ the official said.”

Click here for article.

Click here, here, and here for related posts.

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by | 25 Feb 2010 · 05:16

Malmström: Expand Frontex Powers and Respect Rights

On the eve of the 25-26 February meeting of the Council of Justice and Home Affairs, EC Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström in her first press conference as Commissioner presented the Commission’s proposal to expand Frontex’s powers in several areas including giving it the authority to co-lead enforcement operations with member states.  The proposal would also introduce “an explicit requirement for all border guards taking part in operations to have been trained in fundamental rights, with the aim to safeguard that all immigrants are met with full respect of fundamental rights and in particular the principle of non-refoulement.”

Speaking of Italy’s forcible migrant return policy, Malmström said “I don’t exclude at all that errors were committed in the past, that’s why I’m so keen to really reinforce that all the people involved in Frontex operations have the adequate education and know exactly what to do. Because of course, these people [the migrants] are not criminals, they are in the search for a better life and they have the right to be treated in a dignified way.”

Click here and here for articles.

Click here for JHA Council 25-26 February Meeting Agenda.

Click here for JHA Council Meeting Background Note.

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by | 10 Feb 2010 · 17:05

Cecilia Malmström: New EC Commissioner for Justice & Home Affairs

After an 8 month delay, the European Parliament has approved a new term for European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and his 26 commissioners.

The new Commissioner with responsibility for Justice and Home Affairs is Cecilia Malmström.

Click here for link to the Commissioner’s new web site.

Click here for article about the Commissioner’s hearing before the EP.

Click here for article about the EP vote.

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