SWEDEN HOSTS INFORMAL EU JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000488

STATE FOR EUR/NB, EUR/ERA, EUR/PGI, S/CT
DHS FOR MCALLAHAN, LSAADAT, MSCARDAVILLE, SBALLARD
JUSTICE FOR BSWARTZ, TBURROWS, NLIBIN

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PREF PREL EUN SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN HOSTS INFORMAL EU JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS
MINISTERIAL, JULY 15-17

REF: Stockholm 00452


1. Summary: On July 15-17, Sweden hosted an informal EU Justice and
Home Affairs (JHA) ministerial outside of Stockholm. The
ministerial devoted its discussions to the future "Stockholm
Program", a five year program on continued cooperation within the
JHA area. The Ministers met in different sessions on interior,
migration and justice issues and jointly discussed the Commission's
proposal for the Stockholm Program for the first time. A broad
support for a more citizen-focused program, a common European asylum
system and the need for enhanced cooperation with third countries on
cross-border issues, such as trafficking in persons, was noted by
the Swedish Presidency. End summary.

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Interior Ministry Issues
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2. Embassy representatives covering the meeting noted that the EU
for the first time was able to discuss the Commission's proposals
for the Stockholm Program, which is intended to replace the 2004
Hague Program for JHA issues. On the first day, Ministers discussed
a range of topics, including: enhanced EU cooperation on trafficking
in persons, child protection, organized crime, economic- and
cybercrime. Swedish Justice Minister Beatrice Ask said the general
agreement among Member States "to focus more clearly on the citizen"
entails strengthening individual rights, taking a "holistic approach
to information exchange," and "data protection and integrity issues
are key to this work." Additionally, Ask stressed the need for a
clear strategy of cooperation with third countries (e.g. the U.S.
and Russia,) especially when fighting the types of cross-border
crime.


3. The Canadian-Czech visa controversy drew much attention during
the first day, but no public positions were stated. Currently,
Member States are waiting for the Commission to negotiate with
Ottawa and offer guidance to all members on the advisability of
retaliation. The Swedes were also unwilling to comment or act on
the matter until the Commission has ruled.

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Migration issues
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4. Both Swedish Migration Minister Tobias Billstrom and EU JHA
Commissioner Jacques Barrot welcomed the broad support among the
Member States for developing a common asylum policy by 2012 and for
agreeing on the principle that the EU needs continued migration.
Billstrom stressed the importance of ensuring equal treatment of
asylum seekers, arguing for procedural uniformity regardless of
where the asylum claim is made. Billstrom also said there is a need
for solidarity and responsibility on migration within the EU and a
joint strategy for resettlement would be one way to show solidarity,
not only towards each other but also towards the refugees.


5. Commissioner Barrot noted support among the ministers for a
stronger FRONTEX and its cooperation with third countries. He
pointed to the working relation between FRONTEX and Turkey, which
has decreased illegal immigration to Greece. Barrot also said that
the EU will establish a common entry and exit system to monitor
visa-holders and overstays. Finally, he stressed that migration has
to become a part of EU's foreign policy and he urged Javier Solana
and the EU's foreign ministers to give it priority.


6. Barrot and Billstrom strongly welcomed the Commission's visa
liberalization proposal towards Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia,
which Billstrom hailed as a concrete way of bringing these countries
closer to the EU.

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Justice issues
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7. The discussions on the last day focused on justice issues, but
continued many of the themes from the first day's session on
interior issues. Minister Ask highlighted the support among Member
States to take measures that would benefit EU citizens and build
confidence among various EU legal systems. In particular, she
emphasized more support for victims of crime, better training on EU
cooperation for judges and prosecutors, and better access to
interpretation and translation services for criminal defendants.
However, Ask noted that because of a general lack of progress on
these issues, the Swedish Presidency would mostly focus on the,
issue of interpretation and access to translation.


8. For detailed information on the discussion topics for the

STOCKHOLM 00000488 002 OF 002


ministerial, see the three working documents issued and distributed
to the delegation prior to the meetings at www.se2009.eu.

SILVERMAN