Justice ministers to discuss European criminal record

At an informal meeting of the Justice and Home
Affairs Council on 28 January, EU ministers will discuss asylum and
aspects of the exchange of data on criminal law.

Justice ministers from the 25 member states will
meet in Luxembourg on 28 and 29 January for an informal meeting on
the implementation of the “Hague programme”.

Ministers will discuss judicial and police
co-operation at European level, including the mutual recognition of
criminal judgments and a proposed European criminal
record. This latter proposal, put forward in October 2004,
would put in place a computerised system of information on criminal
convictions of EU citizens, to be kept constantly updated
and available for consultation by member states. UK civil
liberties body Statewatch doubts that this measure can be
justified in terms of the fight against terrorism.

Also on the agenda will be a discussion with
Ruud Lubbers, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, on asylum,
particularly relocation and accommodation of refugees and
co-operation with transit countries.

On 25 January, Justice and Home Affairs
Commissioner Franco Frattini announced plans for a
European fundamental rights agency. The agency, to be
operational by January 2007, will extend the mandate of the
European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia. Since
December 2004, all legislative initiatives taken by the Commission
have had to take into account the 2001 Charter of Fundamental
Rights. 

In addition, on 17 January, Michael Matthiesen
was appointed as Personal Representative on Human rights to work
with Javier Solana, the EU High Representative for the Common
Foreign and Security Policy. 

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