JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS : ASYLUM, IMMIGRATION, JUSTICE: WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2009?

As the current European Commission reaches the end of its mandate, there are still issues in the justice, freedom and security domain, particularly with regard to asylum, that need to be addressed. Europolitics Social brings its readers a sneak preview of these projects based on the timetable announced by the EU executive.

Following the Commission's proposal in May, the EU, in the second half of 2009 and therefore under Swedish Presidency, will adopt its new so-called Stockholm' working programme on asylum and immigration for 2010-2014 to succeed the Tampere (1999-2004) and The Hague (2004-2009) programmes.

In preparation for this, the European support bureau' on asylum will be created, in February, to provide assistance to national governments by means of training, expertise, exchange of information and translation. It is largely intended to help countries such as Malta and Cyprus, which are overrun with arrivals in mass of illegal immigrants from Africa.

In general terms, Commissioner Jacques Barrot in charge of justice, liberty and security will be trying to implement the European pact on immigration and asylum', a political text which the previous French EU Presidency wanted so badly that it even cut it so that it could be unanimously adopted by all member states, on 16 October 2008. Most of the ideas were taken from a previous Commission communication that had been published in June 2008 but the Council document has the added advantage of setting them in black and white and giving them a clear direction: chosen or "planned" immigration as well as the efforts requested of the country of origin to combat illegal immigration.

In March, a proposal for a directive is due out on the entry and resident requirements for seasonal workers. The Commission will also look at the issue of multinational employees posted in the EU as well as the conditions of interns who are paid for their services. At the same time, it intends to open a consultation (green book) on family groupings, which could prove to be a key issue as certain member countries impose reunification criteria that are contradictory to EU legislation (prohibitive administration costs, knowledge of the national language testing).

April will witness a number of initiatives, starting with the review of the asylum procedures and those that determine whether asylum seekers are eligible. The aim is to standardise these procedures within the EU and establish a unique welcome procedure and...