Immigration: liaison officers network

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report drawn up by Agustín DIAZ de MERA GARCIA CONSUEGRA (EPP, ES)) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 377/2004 on the creation of an immigration liaison officers network. It recommended that the European Parliament’s position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure (formerly known as the codecision procedure) should be to amend the Commission proposal.

Following negotiations with the Council, the main amendments may be summarised as follows:

Meetings: the committee states that Representatives of the Commission and the FRONTEX Agency should participate in meetings initiated by Member States between the immigration liaison officers posted in a particular third country or region. Other bodies and authorities, such as the European Asylum Support Office and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), could also be invited.

Asylum seekers: amongst the matters to be discussed in immigration officers networks, Members included exchanging information, when appropriate, on experience regarding asylum seekers' access to protection.

Human rights: the Presidency’s report on the activities of immigration liaison officers’ networks in matters relating to illegal immigration must take into consideration all the relevant aspects, including human rights. Lastly, the Commission shall also take into consideration human rights aspects where relevant, in providing a factual summary and, where appropriate, recommendations to the European Parliament and to the Council, on an annual basis, on the development of the immigration liaison officers networks.