Three areas of protection

Delivering “An area of freedom, security and justice for European citizens” is the final goal of 170 initiatives, projects and measures approved by EU-27 political leaders in December 2009 that goes under the – rather unimaginative- title of “Stockholm Programme”. To pass from writing to action, the EU Commission responsible for the Programme tasked two women, renowned for their outstanding concreteness.Cross-border rights. The same rights and sense of security throughout the European Union: “citizens can expect” to have “the same rights” “throughout the European Union”. Viviane Reding, from Luxembourg, is a “veteran”. In the past legislature she was responsible for the Media and Information Society. In the second Executive chaired by José Manuel Barroso Reding was appointed Commissioner for Justice and Citizenship, while Cecilia Malmstrom is at her first appointment as Commissioner, tasked with EU Home Affairs. Thanks to their work, last week the College presented a package of measures to “boost citizens’ ability to work, travel and study outside their home countries”. Commissioners Reding and Malstrom were attuned in the press meeting held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. “”These proposals will provide better judicial cooperation and increased solidarity through a common immigration and asylum policy – explained Viviane Reding -, and remove bureaucratic obstacles that currently hinder citizens’ lives and add extra costs and legal uncertainty to our businesses. We cannot and will not change national legislations. We wish to establish links between the national legal systems”.Freedom and Security. Reding added: “EU citizens should not face barriers to justice when they leave their home countries. I want citizens to be confident that the EU can protect their rights when they are abroad, whether they are starting a family, planning to retire, resolving contractual disputes or dealing with the results of a car accident”. As Cecilia Malmstrom explained, the Executive’s proposals, – due to undergo Council and Parliament debate – “include improving data protection for citizens in all EU policies, cutting red tape for citizens and businesses”, “combating cybercrime by criminalising identity theft”. The new tools fall within the implementation process of the Lisbon Treaty (of the annexed Charter of Fundamental Rights) and, in fact, within the “Stockholm Programme for Justice and Security”. “The programme laid down in Stockholm is a roadmap to a free and secure Europe. Because freedom and security matter to European citizens, it is also an opportunity for Europe to get closer to its citizens”. The Commissioner added: “My aim is also to create a common asylum and migration system based on solidarity”.Le novelty of the Treaty and of the Charter. With the enforcement of the Lisbon Treaty (December 1 2009) also the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights gained binding value. Europe and its Member States are now called to ensure that the rights provided for in the Charter are respected across the entire European Community. This political framework must be regulated with measures proposed by the Commission, and jointly approved by the EU Parliament and Council. As compared to the past – when unanimous vote was required -under the constitutional treaty European laws are adopted with a qualified majority vote. The Commission’s set of actions addressed the areas of justice and citizenship and that of home affairs. For instance, as relates to the first ambit: measures aim at improving data protection for citizens (The 1995 EU Data Protection Directive will be modernised to respond to new technological challenges, starting from the internet”); strengthening the rights of the accused in criminal proceedings “to have a fair trial”; cutting red tape for citizens and businesses; simplifying the cross-border recovery of debt; increasing protection for citizens travelling outside their home countries (better consular protection when they book a holiday package or file a claim after a road accident…). Protecting citizens. In the Home Affairs area, the Plan includes the following proposals: “defining a comprehensive security strategy to strengthen cooperation in law enforcement and civil protection” as well as disaster and border management; Protecting European citizens from cybercrime, “by criminalising identity theft as well as malicious software that is used to attack information systems”; introducing a common EU asylum system; regulating seasonal employment, “notably in the tourism and agricultural sectors”.