EU lifts visa restrictions for Serbia
The European Union (EU) has abolished visas for the citizens of Serbia traveling to the Schengen Area countries. [b92.net] The decision was made today in Brussels by the EU Council of Ministers for Interior and Justice, and it will come into effect on December 19. Serbian President Boris Tadić, along with Interior and Justice Ministers […]
Swift, Stockholm-Programm: Kräftemessen in Brüssel
Matthias Monroy, Hanne Jobst Vor Inkrafttreten des Lissabon-Vertrages peitschen europäische Innen- und Justizminister weitreichende Abkommen durch, die nach dem 1. Dezember nicht mehr ohne das Parlament in Kraft treten könnten. [heise.de] Hektisches Treiben vor der Sitzung der europäischen Innen- und Justizminister nächste Woche: Während der Streit um das geplante Swift-Abkommen zwischen EU und USA für […]
EU to grant visa flexibility in return for readmission agreement
The European Union is reportedly ready to introduce some visa flexibility if Turkey signs a readmission agreement to tackle the flow of illegal immigrants to Europe. [hurriyetdailynews.com] The European Union and Turkey will discuss the readmission agreement again Dec. 4. Visa flexibility will be introduced once Ankara agrees to sign the agreement to deal with […]
ITALY CALLS FOR E.U. MIGRATION HELP AT MED SUMMIT
[lifeinitaly.com] Venice, November 24 – Interior Minister Roberto Maroni on Tuesday urged the European Union to help Mediterranean countries deal with migration pressures. Addressing a summit of western Mediterranean interior ministers, Maroni said more resources were critical if such countries were to effectively manage the large number of African migrants entering Mediterranean countries en route […]
ADAPTING TO PROTEST– NURTURING THE BRITISH MODEL OF POLICING
KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS At the majority of everyday public events, the British policing model is deployed successfully. But at a small number of more highly charged events, such as large scale protests, its core values are being tested and are in danger of being undermined. Download full report on http://inspectorates.homeoffice.gov.uk
Improved police cooperation between EU and Norway
On Thursday 26 November, Norway will join the EU’s decision to step up cross-border cooperation, in particular to combat terrorism and cross-border crime (also known as the Prüm Treaty). [se2009.eu] Norway’s accession means that EU Member States will have access to Norway’s DNA, fingerprint and vehicle registers, and vice versa. It also means that Norwegian […]
UNODC hosts regional meeting on justice and security
[unodc.org] The UNODC Regional Office for Eastern Africa has organized a regional ministerial meeting on 23-24 November with experts and ministers from all 13 countries in the region to discuss and endorse a new programme for the period 2009-2012 that will address environmental crime, corruption, terrorism, human trafficking, prison reform, piracy, HIV and AIDS and […]
2,5 Jahre Haft für Menschenretter
[elias-bierdel.de] Heute hat das Gericht im sizilianischen Agrigento die Menschenretter zwar vom Vorwurf der Beihilfe zur illegalen Einreise freigesprochen, aber die beiden Kapitaene der „Morthada“ und der „Mohamed El Hedi“ wurden vom Gericht zu 2 Jahren und 6 Monaten Haft verurteilt, weil sie angeblich Widerstand gegen die Staatsgewalt und gegen eine Kriegsschiff leisteten. Am 8. […]
FRONTEX operation at Romania’s external border
[iasiinvest.ro] The fifth stage of Jupiter joint operation held by the European Agency FRONTEX (European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union) was held for two weeks at Romania’s eastern and northern border, the press office of the Border Police informs on Wednesday. […]
Swedes drop refugee status proposal
By Judith Crosbie Campaign groups say Commission proposal has been watered down [europeanvoice.com] Sweden, the current holder of the presidency of the Council of Ministers, has dropped a proposal made by the European Commission that decisions on refugee status made by individual member states should be recognised across the European Union by 2014. In a […]
FRONTEX protects us from immigrants. Who protects us from FRONTEX?
[romania.indymedia.org] One of the disadvantages of current representative democracies is the discrepancy between the agenda of the regular citizen and the agenda of leaders and political elites. As the practices of direct democracy lose ground to the dominant-elitist decision making system, people’s interest in the fairness of state policies decreases, and criticisms of governing actions […]
FRONTEX Conference on Biometric Technology for Border Control
[neoconopticon.wordpress.com] Frontex’ Research and Development Unit and the Swedish Presidency of the EU organized a conference on “Biometric Technology for Border Control” (with industry exhibition) in Warsaw on 1-2 October. Topics discussed included European Commission initiatives, standards and guidelines, automated border control systems, mobile equipment, and issues such as security, data protection, costs and funding […]
Managing Crowds
Sicherheitskonzepte bei Gipfelprotesten Dieser Text ist der Versuch, Erfahrungen mit staatlichen Repressionsapparaten und polizeilichen Sicherheitskonzepten während ausgewählter europäischer Gipfelproteste systematisch auszuwerten und auf den G8 in Heiligendamm zu spiegeln. Dabei ziehen wir sicherlich keine endgültigen Schlussfolgerungen, können aber Tendenzen aufzeigen, die eine Rolle für zukünftige autonome Interventionen spielen. Einige Ansätze sind uns bei der vergleichenden […]
Aufruf zu parallelen Protestkundgebungen in Berlin und Nürnberg am Freitag, 13.11.2009
Asyl in einem Land freier Wahl! „Dublin“-Abschiebungen stoppen! Kommt nach Berlin am Freitag, den 13.11 um 17 Uhr zur Videokundgebung vor dem Sitz der Europäischen Kommission, Unter den Linden 78/ Ecke Wilhelmstraße Über 100 jugendliche Flüchtlinge, eingepfercht in einer engen Zelle, schreien ihre Wut und die Forderung nach sofortiger Freilassung in die Kamera. „Voices of […]
Die Polizei will Verbrecher mit Drohnen jagen
Von René Lenzin, Lugano. An der Landesgrenze sind regelmässig Armeedrohnen im Einsatz. Nun will auch die Polizei verstärkt zu diesem Überwachungsgerät greifen. Der Datenschützer warnt. Gehört bei der Armee zum festen Bestand: Diese Drohne startet zum Grenzüberwachungsflug während der Fussball EM 2008. [tagesanzeiger.ch] Im Morgengrauen des vergangenen Mittwochs schlug die Tessiner Kantonspolizei zu: Sie verhaftete […]
Strasser: USA hart in Datenschutzfragen
Wenig Begeisterung hat US-Heimatschutzministerin Janet Napolitano bei einer Sitzung des Innenausschusses im Europaparlaments ausgelöst. Die Sitzung sei "außerordentlich ernüchternd und enttäuschend" verlaufen, resümierte ÖVP-Europaparlamentarier Ernst Strasser nach dem Treffen. Bei dem Treffen ging es um die Regelung der Übermittlung von Fahndungsdaten von der EU an die USA. [futurezone.orf.at] Der frühere Innenminister, der vor zwei Wochen […]
Griechenland: Beratung mit EU-Vizepräsident Jacques Barrot über illegale Migranten
[griechenland.net] Der griechische Minister für den Schutz des Bürgers, Michalis Chryssohoidis, beriet sich am Donnerstagabend mit dem EU-Vizepräsident Jacques Barrot, über die illegale Einwanderung und die Asylsituation in Griechenland. Chryssohoidis gab nach dem Gespräch bekannt, dass das Asylverfahren nicht länger Angelegenheit der Polizei sein werde, sondern dass dafür künftig das Innenministerium zuständig sein wird. Chryssohoidis […]
The EU and Turkey reinforce their cooperation on curbing irregular immigration
[se2009.eu] The October 2009 European Council has welcomed the beginning of the reinforced dialogue on migration with Turkey and called for concrete steps to be rapidly taken, in particular as regards readmission and border control. Today, the EU and Turkey have agreed to intensify their cooperation to meet the common challenge of stemming irregular migration. […]
Coast Guard Working Group of the International Conference on Border Issues meets in Baku
[apa.az] The Coast Guard Working Group of the International Conference on Border Issues has gathered for its regular meeting in Baku, said Azerbaijan’s State Border Service. The meeting was attended by experts from border services of eight countries (Azerbaijan, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the United States, Russia, Turkey and Georgia) and the EU agency for border […]
EU plans ‚charter flights‘ to deport illegal immigrants
EU leaders have for the first time asked for the creation of joint charter flights to deport illegal immigrants. These flights would be financed by Frontex, the European agency in charge of the EU’s external borders. [euractiv.com] Last week, the twenty-seven EU heads of state and government called for "the enhancement of the operational capacities […]