Justice and Home Affairs Council (Hansard, 12 June 1997)

§ Mr. Straw

The Minister of State and I represented the United Kingdom at the Council. The main matters dealt with were as follows:

The Council agreed as "A" points, among other things, the Europol Drugs Unit budget for 1998, a joint action on co-operation on law and order and security, and a resolution on unaccompanied third-country national minors. Two actions covering Europol were also agreed, one covering how data will be stored and analysed and the other with the conditions of employment for Europol staff.

The Commission presented proposals for a future joint action on temporary protection for displaced persons. The proposals concern possible arrangements for European Union member states to respond in a co-ordinated way to situations where large numbers of refugees seek to enter the European Union from countries where events may have placed them in danger. In the light of preliminary discussion, the proposals will now be considered in detail in the appropriate working group.

514W

There was discussion of a draft joint action aimed at providing an appropriately speedy mechanism for identifying and controlling new synthetic drugs throughout the Union. Establishment of such a mechanism was agreed in principle, although some work is still needed on the finer points of the text.

There was agreement in principle to a Protocol to the Europol Convention, which would lay down the extent to which Europol staff will benefit from certain privileges and immunities when carrying out their official functions. Minor amendments to the text are needed before the Protocol can be signed. This should be achieved fairly quickly.

Agreement was also reached on the second Protocol to the Convention on the Protection of the Communities' Financial Interests. This Protocol lays down steps to be taken by member states to criminalise certain acts of fraud and corruption against the Community budget and laundering of the proceeds of such fraud and corruption. The Protocol should be ready for signature in the near future.

The Presidency reported progress on the draft Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters. Although some progress has been made, a number of issues remain to be finalised by the working group.

The Presidency reported the outcome of their meeting with representatives of the United States Government on 14 April, under the terms of the Transatlantic Dialogue. It was agreed that broad themes for ongoing co-operation should concentrate on the fight against terrorism; implementing of the Caribbean drugs initiative; and prevention of drug smuggling.

The Commission gave a summary of work under way to combat trafficking in women and children. This included projects under a number of European Union Justice and Home Affairs programmes, as well as on the role of voluntary organisations working in the field.

The Council also took note of reports on the work of the task force on organised crime in the Baltic region. The task force, which involves Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland, the Presidency and the Commission, has taken a number of concrete measures, including the establishment of 24-hour national contact points, joint communications systems and actions against stolen motor vehicles and drugs. It will report to heads of Government in January/February 1998.

Two new European Union Conventions were signed by Ministers. One covered arrangements for the Service in Member States of Judicial and Extra Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters, including a Protocol covering the role in these matters of the European Court of Justice. The other was the Convention on the Fight Against Corruption involving Officials of the European Communities or Officials of the Member States of the European Union.

Meetings were held with Ministers of the associated Central and Eastern European countries and, separately, with Cyprus. These concentrated on asylum, and covered in particular the application of the safe Third Country concept, public attitudes to asylum, and the possibility of a parallel convention to the Dublin Convention. The Dublin Convention lays down the procedure for 515W determining the state responsible for examining applications for asylum lodged in one of the member states of the European Communities. A parallel Convention would create a similar procedure for European Union member states and other contracting parties outside the Union.