Liberals and Democrats urge more efficiency of EU decisions on justice & home affairs

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Sep 2006

Today the European Parliament in Strasbourg assessed progress in the development of a European area of freedom, security and justice, seven years since the last Tampere summit in 1999 and just a few days after a disappointing informal Council in the same Finnish city where the current EU presidency and European Commission tried to relaunch the main axes of police and judicial cooperation.

Graham Watson, current ALDE group leader and former chairman of Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home affairs committee at the time of the 1999 Tampere summit voiced his deception at the lack of progress:

"From one Tampere to the next, despite the efforts of the Presidency, it is like a critic said of Samuel Beckett's play "Waiting for Godot" - a two act play in which nothing happens twice."

Jean-Marie Cavada (UDF, France), current chairman of parliament's civil liberties committee argued that "the activation of the bridging clause would have the triple benefit of reducing the democratic deficit in this area of policy, reinforcing the state of law and increasing decision-making efficiency."

"The bridging clause (passerelle) would require national parliamentary approval but unease could be addressed by more regular dialogue and contact between national parliaments and the EP." A public hearing is being held in the European Parliament with national parliamentary delegates next week in Brussels on 2-3 October.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (VVD, Netherlands) who tabled the draft resolution on immigration policy which accompanied today's debate (vote tomorrow) deplored "the failure of the Member States while we watch in shame as a truly humanitarian disaster occurs at our borders." She argued for a strengthening of FRONTEX, the EU agency for external border control, but also made the case for "a policy on readmission which respects human rights" and a "modern-day Marshall plan" for the economic development of the countries of emigration."

Alexander Alvaro (FDP, Germany), ALDE group coordinator on the Civil Liberties committee underlined the need to find a balance between the demands for national sovereignty from national capitals and the need for EU level action. "What areas of sovereignty are Member States prepared to share with the EU so that the latter can act more effectively ?" he asked. He also regretted the serious errors of Germany in its reticence to activate the passerelle clause on greater cooperation in the fields of justice and common immigration policy.