European Migration Network (EMN)

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted a report drafted by Luciana SBARBATI (ADLE, IT), and amended, in the framework of the consultation procedure, the proposal for a Council decision establishing a European Migration Network Members wish the organisation to be called a European Migration and Asylum Network as opposed to a European Migration Network, since the network's job is to collect and exchange information on immigration and asylum, and this should be reflected in its acronym (EMAN rather than EMN). The objective of the organisation is to meet information needs of Community institutions, Member States' authorities and institutions, and the general public, as well as third countries and international organisations, on all aspects of migration and asylum, by providing information on migration, asylum and integration, including detailed statistics showing the impact of EU legislation.

The other main amendments are as follows:

Extension of remit: Members introduced a series of amendments to ensure that EMAN’s remit might be broadened to include the production of analyses and comparisons of European legislation and policies and the implementation of European and international rules at national level, as well as the drawing up of recommendations and conclusions. It should cooperate with all involved and interested parties and disseminate information. EMAN should establish indicators and criteria that will help in the development of Community activities relating to migratory statistics and to asylum (for example, data and statistics concerning the number of legal and illegal immigrants, of returns, of asylum applications accepted and rejected, and of countries of origin) for the purpose of harmonising such indicators and criteria at European level, in cooperation with other competent European bodies. The Committee added that the organisation should compile and publish the EU’s and the Member States’ migration and asylum laws and any other relevant information on the subject (quotas, regularisations, terms and conditions to be met by those wishing to apply for refugee status, practices and related case-law, etc.). The exchange of information concerning requirements on the labour market in the Member States could represent a step forward in the management of economic migrants as part of a comprehensive approach at EU level. Furthermore, EMAN should produce analyses, assessments, recommendations and conclusions on the implementation in the Member States of EC directives on migration and asylum and on the compliance of national rules with European and international rules, at the request of the Commission, the European Parliament or the Council.

Common indicators: With a view to ensuring the comparability of data at European level, the EMAN should be able to play a role in the progressive introduction of common indicators and criteria.

Cooperation with other organisations: EMAN should co-ordinate information and co-operate with other relevant national, European and international governmental and nongovernmental bodies. It should ensure that its activities are consistent and coordinated with the relevant Community instruments and structures in the area of migration and asylum. It must establish a national migration and asylum network, composed of a wide-range of governmental and non-governmental organisations, in particular universities, research centres, and professional associations. EMAN cooperation with the countries in which asylum-seekers and migrants originate and through which they transit shall ensure consistency in the implementation of the common immigration and asylum policy. Such cooperation shall be designed to achieve a suitable degree of cooperation with neighbouring countries in order to consolidate the European neighbourhood policy.

National Contact Points: the EMAN will contribute to the preparation of and approve the annual programme of activities, including an indicative amount of the minimum and maximum budget for each National Contact Point, which ensures that the basic costs arising from the proper functioning of the EMAN are covered, on the basis of a draft from the Chair. Experts from the National Contact Points should be composed of at least three experts from different backgrounds (government departments, non-governmental organisations and universities) who may come from the Member States' administrations, nongovernmental organisations, universities or research centres. Each National Contact Point should also collectively have adequate expertise in information technology, in setting up collaboration schemes and networking with other national organisations and entities, and in collaborating in a multilingual environment at European level.

Publication and dissemination of results: the information exchanged, collected and compiled by the EMAN must be published and disseminated as widely as possible, and all involved and interested parties must be included.

Members inserted a clause the Decision must be revised within a period of six months following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. No later than 3 years after the entry into force of the Decision, the Commission must present a report considering the possible establishment of a European Migration Monitoring Centre.

Lastly, it should be noted that the text amended by the Committee takes into account the broad views of the Council on this matter.