§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of EC Home Affairs Ministers in Copenhagen on 2 and 3 June.
§ Mr. Michael HowardThe meeting of immigration and police Ministers took place in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June.
Ministers considered progress in relation to the implementation of free movement of persons in accordance with article 8A of the treaty of Rome, and in pursuance of the conclusions of the European Council in Edinburgh, they considered the terms of their report to the European Council in Copenhagen.
Ministers took note of several papers submitted by the ad hoc group of immigration concerning the asylum work programme and preparation for the implementation of the Dublin convention on asylum, and the draft external frontiers convention. They approved a resolution on the reception of particularly vulnerable groups of people from the former Yugoslavia.
Ministers adopted a resolution on the harmonisation of national policies on family reunification, and a recommendation on checks on and the expulsion of third country nationals residing or working in member states without authorisation.
Discussion at the meeting of Trevi Ministers on 2 June focused on the establishment of EUROPOL and in particular the EUROPOL drugs unit. Ministers signed the ministerial agreement on the establishment of the EUROPOL drugs unit and invited the forthcoming European Council in Copenhagen to come to a decision on its location. They also discussed reports and proposals from working groups on matters including terrorism, organised attacks on foreigners, environmental crime, international motor cycle gangs, money laundering and co-operation with eastern Europe.
I am placing in the Library of the House copies of the recommendations and resolutions approved by the Immigration Ministers, together with the ministerial agreement on EUROPOL and the press communiqués issued following the meetings.