European Justice and Home Affairs Meet and Act

On April 25-26, 2002 the European Union?s Justice, Home Affairs, and Civil Protection Ministers held their 2423rd Council meeting under the Spanish presidency. There were a few recommendations that were reached concerning key areas of criminal cooperation. Illegal Immigration and Human Trafficking by Sea: The council reaffirmed the importance of an integrated approach to illegal immigration and trafficking of human beings to ensure appropriate coordination between migration policy and the best use of all the instruments available in the framework of the EU external relations. The council noted that the EU Commission will start implementing immediately the Comprehensive Plan to combat illegal immigration and trafficking of human beings in the EU, approved by the Council on February 28, 2002, and will submit by February 2003 a feasibility study on the improvement of sea border controls throughout the EU. In the general framework of the EU?s police and judicial cooperation with the U.S., the council authorized the Spanish Presidency to negotiate an agreement on judicial cooperation in criminal matters, including terrorism, on the basis of judicial cooperation in criminal matters, including terrorism, on the basis of Articles 38 and 24 Treaty of the European Union (TEU). The mandate cover extradition, mutual legal assistance, including exchange of data, establishment of joint investigation teams, the giving of evidence (via video conference), and the establishment of single contact points. The EU will make any extradition agreement conditional on the provision of guarantees on the non-imposition of capital sentences, and the securing of existing levels of constitutional guarantees with regard to life sentences.