Brief – Commission wants early warning of immigration policy changes

The Commission and the Presidency have put
forward a proposal for a system of mutual information exchange
between member state authorities responsible for immigration and
asylum policy.

In a letter to the members of the Justice and
Home Affairs (JHA) Council, Commissioner Franco Frattini and
Luxembourg Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicolas Schmit have proposed
that member states should exchange information on immigration and
asylum policy and give each other advance warning of any important
policy decisions.

The suggestion comes in the wake of a general
amnesty for illegal immigrants  announced by the Spanish
government on 7 Feb, which led to concern from other member states
and policy promises on immigration by two of the major UK political
parties in the run-up to a general election (see EURACTIV 4 Feb 2005).

The proposal is to be discussed at the JHA
Council of 24 February.

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