Immigration Ministers' Meeting (Hansard, 20 June 1991)

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker

The meeting of Ministers concerned with immigration was the tenth in the series of meetings held towards the end of each presidency since 1986.

Discussion at the Immigration Ministers' meeting focused on the draft external frontiers convention. Ministers welcomed the progress made in negotiations under the Luxembourg Presidency and concentrated on outstanding issues. The external frontiers convention, the provisions of which are described in more detail later, provides for agreed standards of immigration control over third country nationals at the external frontiers of the European Community, supported by a computerised list of those who are inadmissible. It contains provisions relating to visas, including the mutual recognition by other member states of visas issued for short visits by one member state. In addition it provides for travel without visas between EC member states by third country nationals lawfully resident in an EC country in circumstances in which they would otherwise require visas. The convention further envisages the harmonisation of the visa policies of EC member states in due course. Difficulties arose over provisions in the draft convention 255W for the controls to be exercised at airports within the European Community. Discussion of the draft convention continues.

The meeting of Trevi Ministers endorsed various further measures to strengthen practical police cooperation developed during the Luxembourg Presidency, in particular with regard to posting of liaison officers within and outside the EC; co-operation on police training; continued work on the creation of a European drugs intelligence unit and the establishment of a European police information system to combat serious crime. Detailed work on the establishment of a permanent secretariat for Trevi, which was led by the United Kingdom, was fully considered and a decision on the location will be taken during the Dutch Presidency.

Draft convention of the member states of the European Communities on the crossing of their external borders Summary of provisions Article 1: defines the terms used in the convention. Articles 2–5: outline the general nature of controls to be applied at the external frontiers of the European Community. Article 6: establishes the system for the application of controls at airports. Article 7: sets out the conditions of entry to member states in respect of short stays. Article 8: enables non-EC nationals who are lawfully resident in the European Community, to make a short visit or transit another member state without having to obtain a visa. Article 9: Confirms that admission for stays in excess of three months is subject to national legislation. Articles 10–13: provide for the establishment of a computerised common list of inadmissible and non-EC nationals and lay down principles for the treatment of non-EC nationals who do not meet the criteria for entry. Article 14: requires member states to adopt carriers' liability provisions. Articles 15 and 16: provide for the removal of illegal entrants and overstayers. Article 17: confirms the member states' commitment to establish a harmonised visa policy. Articles 18–25: provide for member states to mutually recognise each others short stay visas and, in the longer term, for the introduction of a uniform visa valid for travel throughout the European Community. Article 26: establishes an executive committee which will interpret the provisions of the convention and oversee their implementation. Article 27: confirms that the application of the convention is subject to the provisions of the United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and to the provisions of the treaty establishing the European Economic Community and related instruments. Article 28: deals with the territorial application of the convention. Article 29: prohibits reservations. Articles 30–33: are concerned with the procedural arrangements to come into effect following signature and ratification of the convention.