EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON REFUGEES AND EXILES

 

 

Please, find below the ECRAN Weekly Update of 10 November 2004. ECRAN is the Advocacy Network of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE). The ECRAN Weekly Update informs you about the latest EU developments in the area of asylum and refugee protection, as well as related matters. If you are interested in detailed policy positions, research papers and other relevant documents on EU asylum matters by ECRE and other relevant actors, please visit our website at: http://www.ecre.org/policy/eu_developments.shtml

 

 

In this ECRAN Weekly Update you will find information on the following matters:

 

1. COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: EU agrees on a five-year programme for Justice and Home Affairs: A Common European Asylum policy by 2010

 

2. EUROPEAN COMMISSION: President designate Barroso presented his team to Head of State and Government; Commission publishes new handbook on integration

 

3. MEMBER STATES: Malta claims EU states recognise need to share asylum burden

 

4. UNHCR: New powers to deport fall foul of UN; UNHCR calls on EU states not to harmonise downwards

 

5. MISCELLANEOUS: racism re-emergence warning; 20 Reasons why being a non-Roma is a privilege in todayÕs Europe

 

 

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

EU agrees on a five-year programme for justice and home affairs: A Common European Asylum policy targeted by 2010

 

On 5 November 2004, EU leaders agreed on a new five-year programme for the co-operation in asylum and migration policy. The Bulletin Quotidien reports Òthe main progress made in this Hague Programme includes giving up unanimity from 1 April 2005 for illegal immigration, asylum and border policy as well as the commitment to give the EU a truly shared asylum policy by 2010. From next year, all decisions in the Hague Programme including border controls, illegal immigration and asylum will be taken by majority voting, except for legal immigration. Majority voting in the area of legal immigration, such as granting visas to students will not start until the new EU constitution comes into place, following the strong opposition by Germany, Austria, Estonia and Slovakia, reports Euobserver.

 

The Presidency conclusions and Hague Programme can be read in full at:

http://ue.eu.int/eudocs/cmsUpload/EN.pdf

 

For more information see ÒEU agrees new five-year asylum programmeÓ by Honor Mahony, 5.11.2004 at http://www.euobserver.com/?aid=17701&rk=1

 

ÒNew five-year programme for justice and home affairs is adopted-Unanimity maintained for lawful immigrationÓ, Bulletin Quotidien Europe No.8822, 6 November 2004

 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

President designate Barroso presents team of Commissioners to EU Heads of State and Government

 

ÒWe Ôre back on trackÓ, said incoming Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on 5th November. The breakthrough came after Italy finally made up its mind to send foreign minister Franco Frattini to Brussels to be RomeÕs Commissioner. He will be in charge of the Justice and Home Affairs portfolio, and will fill the gap left by Rocco Buttiglione. Mr Barroso was able on 4 of November to present a new, reshuffled College to the 25 heads of State and Government meeting in European Council.  Following an exchange of views with President Barroso on Friday 5 November, the Conference of Presidents of the political groups of the European Parliament, meeting for an extraordinary session, decided on Òinvestiture proceedings for the new Commission allowing the institution fully to exercise its prerogativesÓ reports Bulletin Quotidien. The hearings of new Commissioners will take place on 15 and 16 of November in Strasbourg. Vote on Commission will take place on the 18th.

 

For more information:

http://euobserver.com/?aid=17692&sid=9

Bulletin Quotidien, No. 8821, Friday 5 November 2004, pp.4

Bulletin Quotidien, No. 8822, Saturday 6 November 2004, pp.8

 

First European handbook on integration of immigrants launched by European Commission

 

On 10 November, the European Commission presented a European handbook on integration to EU immigration ministers, at the Dutch Presidency ministerial conference on integration policy in Groningen. The handbook aims to promote cooperation at the European level on integration by facilitating the exchange of experience and information. It is targeted at policy-makers and practitioners at the local, regional, national and EU level.

 

The handbook is downloadable from:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/doc_centre/immigration/integration/doc/handbook_en.pdf

 

MEMBER STATES

Malta claims EU states recognise need to share burden

 

Aa press conference at the conclusion of the EU Council on 5 November, Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said Malta welcomed the agreement between member states which Òare now recognising the need of Òburden sharingÓ in the problems being faced particularly by southern European member states, Malta included.Ó Dr. Gonzi also explained that Òit is estimated that this year illegal immigrants will cost Malta an estimated Lm2.5m.Ó

 

For more information, see:

 

ÒEU leaders approve new asylum measures-Illegal immigrants to cost Malta an estimated Lm2.5m this yearÓ at http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=169154

 

CONSTITUTIONAL TREATY

 

UNHCR

New powers to deport fall foul of UN

 

UNHCR has warned the UK that  that proposed new powers to deport refugees who are convicted of serious offences while in Britain breach Human Rights Convention, reports the Guardian on Monday 8 November The UN High Commissioner for refugees has written to peers who are due to vote on Parliamentary order introducing the power to deport those who are convicted of a Òserious crimeÓ. ParliamentÕs joint committee on human rights has also criticised the new powers, saying that the definition of Òserious crimeÓ is so widely drawn that it includes trespassing, stealing a car and being caught in possession of an illicit drug. The UNHCR has also warned that the wide-ranging nature of the deportation order breaches its guidelines on who should be deprived of international refugee protection because they have been found guilty of Òheinous acts and serious common crimesÓ. The House of Lords vote on the new powers comes as the Council of EuropeÕs commissioner for human rights, Alvaro Gil Robles, undertakes a week-long official inspection of the human rights situation in Britain.

 

For more information:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1345786,00.html

 

UNHCR calls on Member States not to harmonise downwards

 

In a press release issued on 9 November, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees welcomed the adoption of the Hague Programme but warned that Ò a lot needs to be done to reach the objective of a common refugee protection system in 2010 while helping developing countries strengthen their own protection capabilityÓ.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers said that the first European asylum harmonisation phase was just the beginning and that a lot needed to be done at the EUÕs borders and outside. Mr Lubbers is calling on Member States that have to transpose the adopted texts into their legislation in this first phase to not harmonise to the lowest common denominator permitted by the directives, but to adopt or conserve national legislation that provides the best levels of protection for refugees.

 

For more information:

www.unhcr.ch

 

Bulletin Quotidien, No. 8823, Tuesday 9 November 2004

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

Racism re-emergence warning  

 

The Jesuit Refugee Service has warned against the re-emergence of racism and xenophobia in Malta, as anti-immigration sentiment sweeps across Europe. In an interview with the Times of Malta on 8 November, Fr Pierre Grech Marguerat, from JRS, said Òcertain policies and comments are doing nothing more than creating a racist attitude towards illegal immigrants. In the long term this could be explosiveÓ. Earlier this week, the head of the UN refugee agency denied claims that Europe was being flooded with refugees and urged the EU to create a fair rather than a fast system to deal with asylum seekers.

 

For more information:

 

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=169153

 

 

20 Reasons why being a non-Roma is a privilege in todayÕs Europe

 

Valeriu Nicolae, of the European Roma Information Office in Brussels, gives twenty reasons why being a non-Roma is a privilege in todayÕs Europe, including:

¤       Because if you are a Roma, you can expect your Prime Minister to describe you and your people as Òantisocial, mentally backward, inassimilable and socially unacceptableÓ.

¤       Because if you are a Roma, and speak or dress the way the majority does, and you are furthermore successful in your professional life, you will be regarded as the remarkable exception from those who otherwise steal or beg.

¤       Because if you are a Roma, you will not learn anything at school about the history and culture of your people, and nobody will teach you about the slavery and policies of extermination implemented against Roma. Instead you will learn that you are a backward people and should be grateful to those who ÒagreedÕ to host you.

 

For the full acticle go to:

 

http://www.erionet.org

 

_____________________________________________________________________

If you have comments or suggestions on the ECRAN Weekly Update, please send them to ecran@ecre.be. Persons interested in subscribing or unsubscribing to this publication are kindly asked to send their request and email address to euecre@ecre.be.

 

 

 

ECRE

Rue Belliard, 205 - Box 14

B-1040 Brussels

Tel. +32.2.514.59.39

Fax. +32.2.514.59.22

E-mail: euecre@ecre.be

Website: http://www.ecre.org/