Recent Developments in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice in the EU

1. Recent Developments in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice in the EU University of Oslo Asylum Course 10 March 2006

2. Aim for the lecture • Overview and Background • From Schengen to Amsterdam • From Tampere to the Hague • CEAS • What is happening now?

3. Migration • Global dimension, 2005: 200 mill. migrants • Def. ”migrant”: person who has lived more than a year outside home country • Regionally: One step forward, two backward • Complicating factors: legal/illegal forced/voluntary • Legislative and policy measures in the pipeline

4. Legislative and Administrative Development • Ad Hoc group Immigration • Schengen Implementation Convention (1990/1995) • Dublin Convention (1990/1997) • Maastricht Treaty(1992/1993) • Amsterdam Treaty (1997/1999) Follow-up: Action Plan, Scoreboard, Tampere Conclusions

5. Tampere • Top level JHA-meeting 1999 • JHA area defined in terms of priorities • Balanced approach: Control/Rights • Establishment of CEAS decided cf. Amsterdam treaty

6. Main focus • Partnerships with countries of origin • Establishment of CEAS • Fair treatment of third country nationals • Management of migration flows

7. Hague Programme (2004) and Plan og Action (June 2005) • Translation of Hague Programme into Specific Measures • Reiteration of importance attached to correct and timely transposition of legislative acts • Effective implementation • Evaluation in practice • Retain certain degree of flexibility

8. Key aspects of EU JHA policy2005-2010 • Protection of fundamental rights • Implementation and evaluation • Strengthening security • External Relations

9. Asylum and Migration Policy Comprehensive approach: • root causes of migration • entry and admission policies • Integration policies • return policies

10. Hague Action Plan 2005-2010 Concrete examples of priorities: • Adoption of Procedures directive • Conclusion of parallel agrements with Denmark on Dublin II and Eurodac • Monitoring transposition of first phase legal instruments

11. Cont. Action Plan priorities Second phase of CEAS: • Long term resident status for beneficiaries of international protection • Second phase instruments Adopt directive on one single asylum procedure

12. A Common European Asylum System (CEAS) • Qualification directive (2004) • Procedures directive (2005) • Dublin Regulation (2003) • Eurodac Regulation (2003) • Reception Conditions directive (2003) • Temporary Protection directive (2001) • Refugee Fund (2005-2010)

13. Second phase: • Transposition period • Commission legal proceedings • National implementation adm. and judicial • EU judiciary development

14. Cont. Second phase • Coordination/cooperation among MS • Majority voting • Commission right to initiative • EP role

15. Qualification directive • Definition of ”refugee” • Interpretation of concept of ”persecution” • Definition of ”subsidiary protection” • Rights pertaining to persons granted ”international protection” • Consequences?

16. Procedures directive • Controversy: UNHCR, ECRE, EP • Criticism e.g. - Exemptions - Appeal and suspensive effect - Safe third country concept - Safe home country

17. Dublin and Eurodac • Ref. next Wednesday • Which country is resposnible for an asylum request? • Dublin convention did not work • Dublin II required • Norway’s way into CEAS through the back door

18. Directive on Reception Conditions • Stop secondary movement • Secure EU harmonisation within EU in line with 1951 Conv. And ECHR

19. Cont. Directive on reception conditions Minimum standard rights on e.g.: - Housing - Work - Medical Care - Children other vulnerable groups - Education

20. Cont. Reception conditions • UK and asylum seekers who wait too long • Germany and the right to work • Relationship with Dublin • Status on transposition • Norway’s interest?

21. What happens now? • Commission to evaluate all CEAS instruments by 2007 • Focus on external dimension Pilot projects Resettlement

22. Cont. What happens now? Legislative proposals on: - Return - Single procedure - Refugees and other persons rights as long term residents

23. Cont. What happens now? • Cooperation with home countries • Establishment of funds: - border control fund - integration fund - refugee fund (2005-2010) - return fund

24. Cont. What happens now? ”Package” in autumn 2005: - Communication on regional protection programmes - Communication on integration - Communication on migration and development - Strategy on external dimension

25. Cont. What happens now? Feb. 2006: Communication on the establishment of structures improving the quality of decision making in the common European asylum system - Single procedure - Country of origin compilation - Amendment to Refugee Fund and ARGO

26. vvevstad@online.no