The Minister of the Interior Kari Häkämies stated at the meeting that the Union should take better into account the human rights situation in countries of origin, and political, economic and other conditions leading to migration, and to aim to influence these conditions for the purpose of reducing migration pressures.
According to Minister Häkämies, the work carried out by the High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration and the action plans prepared by the Group indicate a clear improvement in the EU work in this respect. The Minister took a positive attitude towards the Working Group´s work of combining foreign policy measures to objectives of immigration policy
The justice and home affairs ministers were unanimous that cooperation with countries of origin will be an important means of influencing the reasons behind immigration. Cooperation will enable to reduce migration to the EU labour market which originates from false information and unrealistic expectations, and to improve human rights situation in countries of origin.
The justice and home affairs ministers in favour of a single European asylum system
The justice and home affairs ministers were unanimous that the Union should proceed towards a single European asylum system, which would also include subsidiary and temporary protection. Single provisions should be united to a more harmonious system. The Tampere meeting is expected to provide guidelines for the creation of a single system.
A single European asylum system requires that the Member States operate on the basis of joint definitions and terms and apply them in the same way. Efforts should be made to intensify the use of existing instruments, such as the Dublin Convention, and to find a single interpretation in their application so that the Union would better operate as a single area.
According to the ministers, persons in need of international protection should be treated in the same way and given a similar decision within the Union regardless of in which Member State the person has requested protection. This would improve the legal protection, save national resources and prevent cross-border movement.
Importance of a more coherent readmission policy highlighted
On Friday the justice and home affairs ministers also discussed a more coherent and efficient readmission policy. The Treaty of Amsterdam provides that the Council adopts within five years of the entry into force of the Treaty measures to return persons residing illegally in the Member States of the European Union.
After the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam, competence to conclude readmission agreements on behalf of the Member States was given to the European Community. According to the ministers, the Community should create a joint readmission policy so that it could efficiently use this competence. Comments also brought up that the Member States should first agree on readmission obligations within the EU before making agreements on them with third countries.
Illegal immigration and trafficking in persons – growing problems in the EU
Illegal immigration and trafficking in persons are, according to the justice and home affairs ministers, a growing concern all over Europe. It is particularly alarming that criminal organisations are strongly involved in these illegal
