B. Presidency Conclusions: European Council, Laeken, 14 and 15 December 2001 (Extract)
IV. STRENGTHENING THE AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE
37. The European
Council reaffirms its commitment to the policy guidelines and objectives
defined at Tampere and notes that while some progress has been made, there
is a need for new impetus and guidelines to make good delays in some areas.
Holding Justice and Home Affairs sessions at shorter intervals will help
speed work up. It is also important that decisions taken by the Union
be transposed speedily into national legal systems and that conventions
concluded since the Maastricht Treaty came into force be ratified as soon
as possible.
A true
common asylum and immigration policy
38. Despite some achievements such as the European Refugee Fund, the Eurodac
Regulation and the Directive on temporary protection, progress has been
slower and less substantial than expected. A new approach is therefore
needed.
39. The European
Council undertakes to adopt, on the basis of the Tampere conclusions and
as soon as possible, a common policy on asylum and immigration, which
will maintain the necessary balance between protection of refugees, in
accordance with the principles of
the 1951 Geneva Convention, the legitimate aspiration to a better life
and the reception
capacities of the Union and its Member States.
40. A true common asylum and immigration policy implies the establishment of the following instruments:
- the integration of the policy on migratory flows into the European Union's foreign policy. In particular, European readmission agreements must be concluded with the countries concerned on the basis of a new list of priorities and a clear action plan. The European Council calls for an action plan to be developed on the basis of the Commission communication on illegal immigration and the smuggling of human beings;
- the development of a European system for exchanging information on asylum, migration and countries of origin; the implementation of Eurodac and a Regulation for the more efficient application of the Dublin Convention, with rapid and efficient procedures;
- the establishment of common standards on procedures for asylum, reception and family reunification, including accelerated procedures where justified. These standards should take account of the need to offer help to asylum applicants;
- the establishment of specific programmes to combat discrimination and racism.
41.
The European Council asks the Commission to submit, by 30 April 2002 at
the latest,
amended proposals concerning asylum procedures, family reunification and
the "Dublin II"
Regulation. In addition, the Council is asked to expedite its proceedings
on other drafts
concerning reception standards, the definition of the term "refugee"
and forms of subsidiary protection.
More effective
control of external borders
42. Better management of the Union's external border controls will help
in the fight against terrorism, illegal immigration networks and the traffic
in human beings. The European Council asks the Council and the Commission
to work out arrangements for cooperation between services responsible
for external border control and to examine the conditions in which a mechanism
or common services to control external borders could be created. It asks
the Council and the Member States to take steps to set up a common visa
identification system and to examine the possibility of setting up common
consular offices.