Date: | 18.04.2008 |
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Venue: | Luxembourg |
Policy area: | Justice and Home Affairs |
Type of event: | Council of Ministers |
More: | Dr Lovro Šturm, Minister of Justice, and Dragutin Mate, Minister of the Interior, will chair a meeting of the Justice and Home Affair Council in Luxembourg, on Friday, 18 April. Among other topics, the justice ministers will discuss the Initiative of the Republic of Slovenia, the French Republic, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Slovak Republic, the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany with a view to adopting a Council Framework Decision on the enforcement of decisions rendered in absentia. The purpose of the initiative is to strengthen the rights of citizens by ensuring a clear and coordinated approach to the question of recognition of decisions rendered in absentia. The justice ministers will also discuss the proposal for a Council Framework decision amending Framework Decision 2002/475/JHA on combating terrorism. The aim of the proposal is to modernise the framework decision on combating terrorism and the proposal includes the exploitation of means of communication for committing terrorist offences. On the agenda of the justice part of the meeting will be the Common Frame of Reference (CFR) project in the field of European contract law. At the mixed committee meeting the ministers of the interior will discuss the state of play and report of the Friend of SIS II as well as the situation and planned activities as regards the proposed directive for returning illegally staying third country nationals. The interior ministers will also discuss open questions as regards the proposal for a Directive amending the Directive 2003/109/EC, which would expand its scope of application to include beneficiaries of international protection. The Slovenian Presidency will present the Council's conclusions on practical cooperation in the field of asylum prepared on the basis of the ministers' discussions at the January informal Council and discussions within the Council's structures. The Presidency expects that a political consensus on the proposal for a Council's Decision establishing the European Police Office (EUROPOL) will be reached. The Council will also adopt the European Union Action Plan for the Security of Explosives, Precursors and Detonators, which is a result of work done by three Presidencies – German, Portuguese and Slovenian. The ministers will also discuss, and possibly also adopt, the proposal for giving the European Commission the mandate to start the negotiations for an agreement with the USA on certain conditions for inclusion in the Visa-Waiver Programme for some Member States.
Video - Press Conference: Council Justice and Home Affairs (Friday, April 18th 2008 at 15:34) |
Justice and Home Affairs Council adopts measures to combat terrorism more effectively
Agenda of the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) 141 KB
Background information for the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) 150 KB
Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA): Conclusions - Press release 262 KB
Justice and Home Affairs Council: Conclusions on introducing Effective Parts Marking 118 KB
Justice and Home Affairs Council: Conclusions on practical cooperation in the field of asylum 120 KB