EU MINISTERS REVIEW SITUATION OF IRAQI REFUGEES, STATE OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 000307 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS PREL PREF SMIG KCRM EUN SUBJECT: EU MINISTERS REVIEW SITUATION OF IRAQI REFUGEES, STATE OF PLAY OF "SIS II" REF: USEU BRUSSELS 1538 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. Apart from the issue of Guantanamo detainees (see USEU mail exchanges),EU Home Affairs ministers at the February 26 Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting also covered a number of immigration and asylum issues, including the situation of Iraqi refugees in Europe, the state of play of the upgrading of the Schengen Information System ("SIS II") and a joint initiative by Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Italy on the fight against illegal immigration in the Mediterranean. Full text of the Council conclusions is available from the Council website (http://consilium.europa.eu). END SUMMARY. IRAQI REFUGEES IN EUROPE -------------- ¶2. The Commission briefed Ministers in the JHA Council on progress made regarding the reception of Iraqi refugees following the adoption of conclusions by the November 27, 2008 Council (REFTEL), which called on Member States to take in Iraqi refugees in a particularly vulnerable situation. Commission Vice-President Barrot offered no specific comment in contacts with press. The Dutch reported on a high-level meeting convened in The Hague on December 1-2, 2008 with the aim of contributing to a coordinated response by the EU to migratory flows from or to Iraq. In particular, ministers also noted information provided by the Netherlands on the establishment of a "Temporary Desk on Iraq." The Desk's mandate would be "to determine how immigration services could improve their practical cooperation on protection, particular pressures, resettlement and return." SCHENGEN INFORMATION SYSTEM -------------- ¶3. The Commission made a presentation to the Schengen Mixed Committee (EU countries + Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) on the development of SIS II, the project of a second generation of the Schengen Information System necessary for outstanding Member States to be integrated into the database and fully participate in the border-free cooperation area. Pending the development of SIS II, nine new EU countries were integrated into the current "SIS 1+" application (henceforth called "SISone4all") in 2007 and Switzerland joined the system in 2008. The entry into operation of a new, technically upgraded SIS II application was originally scheduled for September 2009. ¶4. The Council adopted conclusions noting the current status of the SIS II project, "in which a number of problems persist," as well as the Commission's view that all technical outstanding difficulties "can be resolved without a major redesign of the SIS II application." The conclusions recognize that the original target date of September 2009 for migration from the SIS 1+ to SIS II is "no longer realistic." They welcome the completion of a feasibility study as a basis for creating a workable alternative technical scenario for developing SIS II based on SIS 1+ evolution as part of a contingency plan. They request that the Presidency and the Commission submit "as soon as possible but at the latest by May 2009, a report containing an in-depth assessment and comparison of both scenarios." Minister Langer said it would be possible to have a clearly defined view of the options by mid-May so that the Council could decide on how to proceed from there. EUROPEAN ASYLUM SUPPORT OFFICE -------------- ¶5. Vice-President Barrot made a presentation to the Council of the Commission proposal for establishing a "European Asylum Support Office" as an agency (without decision-making powers) designed to coordinate and improve cooperation on asylum matters among EU countries and assist them in comparing good practices and organizing training at EU level. The draft foresees that the agency, with an estimated initial budget of 5 million euro, will be governed by a management board where all Member States will be represented, together with the Commission and a representative of the UNHCR. Subject to approval by the Council and European Parliament, the Asylum Support Office could be operational in 2010. Minister Langer told reporters the Commission presentation got overall support, saying the Presidency can now proceed with negotiations on the draft piece of legislation. The decision on the future location of the new body has been reserved for the EU leaders. ¶6. EU officials noted significant differences in Member States' ways of dealing with applications for international protection. Many of these discrepancies are due, they said, "to non-legislative factors," such as the variety of practices or differences in information on the applicants' country of origin. Setting up an BRUSSELS 00000307 002 OF 002 office to promote the exchange of information and to support the asylum authorities' day-to-day operations was part of EU efforts to harmonize these practices. As an illustration, a country faced with a massive influx of asylum seekers would be able to request help for coordinating and arranging emergency accommodation and medical assistance. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN -------------- ¶7. Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Italy tabled a joint paper intended to raise awareness and to recommend action at EU level on the challenges posed by illegal migration and asylum in the Mediterranean. The four countries are aiming at a reinforcement of practical cooperation measures and coordinated synergies to enhance the capacity of Member States to protect the lives of illegal migrants and to regulate the flows of migrants entering the EU by sea or land borders. The measures would include a strengthening of FRONTEX (the Warsaw-based agency for the management of operational cooperation at the EU's external borders) and of joint operations in the Mediterranean region. Commission Vice-President Barrot said the paper would be duly taken into account in preparations for the future five-year program of EU activities in JHA matters (the "Stockholm program," to succeed the current "Hague program" covering the years 2005-2009). Barrot noted that the four countries already benefited from the European Refugee Fund. He said he would pay visits to Lampedusa and Malta to further reaffirm the solidarity of the EU and the Commission with the countries concerned. MURRAY