Justice Committee
Press notice No. 31 of Session 2008-09
13 May 2009/ For Immediate Release
CALL FOR EVIDENCE
On 2 April 2009 the Justice Committee announced its inquiry into Justice Issues in Europe (terms of reference below). We are now extending the deadline for written evidence to 10 July 2009
JUSTICE ISSUES IN EUROPE
One of the major tasks of the Swedish EU Presidency (beginning July 2009) is to develop a new five-year programme for justice and home affairs-the ‘Stockholm programme’. This is the successor to the Hague justice and home affairs programme, which expires in December 2009. The Hague programme included pursuit of the principle of mutual recognition of judicial decisions and the further development of Eurojust, the EU level organisation for liaison between prosecutors and judges. The Swedish Minister of Justice recently said that the Stockholm programme would be aimed at adding value for citizens’ everyday life.
The Committee is particularly keen to hear views on the following:
• How action taken at a European level on justice issues has affected people? What has worked well and what has not worked? Particular areas of interest include: the European Framework Decision on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings and Judicial co-operation (including the development of Eurojust and the European Judicial network).
• Key areas in which European cooperation on justice issues could or would not add value to the experiences and rights of the individual, in light of the likely priorities in the next European five-year justice and home affairs programme, including data protection and the procedural rights of the accused (e.g. access to translation and legal representation).
Further guidance on the format and length of submissions is given below.
Call for evidence:
Written evidence should if possible be in Word or rich text format with as little use of colour or logos as possible-not PDF format-and sent by e-mail to justicecommemo@parliament.uk. The body of the e-mail must include a contact name, telephone number and postal address. The e-mail should also make clear who the submission is from. The deadline is 10 July 2009.
Submissions must address the terms of reference. They should be in the format of a self-contained memorandum and should be no more than 3,000 words. Paragraphs should be numbered for ease of reference, and the document must include an executive summary. Further guidance on the submission of evidence can be found at www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/witness.cfm.
Submissions should be original work, not previously published or circulated elsewhere, though previously published work can be referred to in a submission and submitted as supplementary material. Once submitted, your submission becomes the property of the Committee and no public use should be made of it unless you have first obtained permission from the Clerk of the Committee. PLEASE BEAR IN MIND THAT COMMITTEES ARE NOT ABLE TO INVESTIGATE INDIVIDUAL CASES.
The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to publish the written evidence it receives, either by printing the evidence, publishing it on the internet or making it publicly available through the Parliamentary Archives. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure; the Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.
For data protection purposes, it would be helpful if individuals wishing to submit written evidence send their contact details in a covering letter or e-mail. You should be aware that there may be circumstances in which the House of Commons will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Notes:
1. Committee Membership is as follows: Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith MP (Chairman), Mr David Heath MP, Rt Hon Douglas Hogg MP, Siân James MP, Jessica Morden MP, Julie Morgan MP, Rt Hon Alun Michael MP, Robert Neill MP, Dr Nick Palmer MP, Linda Riordan MP, Virendra Sharma MP, Mr Andrew Turner, Mr Andrew Tyrie MP and Dr Alan Whitehead MP
Further Information:
Media Enquiries: Jessica Bridges Palmer (020 7219 0724) email: bridgespalmerj@parliament.uk; Clare Mills (07795 662742);
Specific Committee Information: Tel 020 7219 8196/ 8198, email: justicecom@parliament.uk
Committee Website: www.parliament.uk/justicecom
Watch committees and parliamentary debates online: www.parliamentlive.tv
Select Committee Calendar: www.parliament.uk/what_s_on/hoc_news3.cfm
Publications / Reports / Reference Material: Copies of all select committee reports are available from the Parliamentary Bookshop (12 Bridge St, Westminster, 020 7219 3890) or the Stationery Office (0845 7023474). Committee reports, press releases, evidence transcripts, Bills; research papers, a directory of MPs, plus Hansard (from 8am daily) and much more, can be found on www.parliament.uk
The news:
The European Commission is adopting a communication on a five-year EU action plan for cooperation in judicial matters and home affairs, known as the Stockholm Programme.
This initiative will present the common priorities and objectives for the future development of the EU as an area of freedom, security and justice, and determine the means and initiatives to best achieve this at EU level. It will build on key strategic documents such as the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, the Communications of 17 June 2008 on Immigration and Asylum, the Communication on e-justice and the Action plan on drugs.
The plan includes police and customs cooperation, rescue services, criminal and civil law cooperation, asylum, migration, visas and checks at external borders, etc.
Under the slogan 'Broader Freedom in a safer Europe', the core areas for the strategy over the next five years are the following:
-
A Europe of rights: to strengthen citizens' rights;
-
A Europe of justice: to enable free movement of citizens;
-
To safeguard EU citizens towards a pluri-integrated society;
-
A Europe built in solidarity and responsibility on immigration and asylum;
The background:
The first strategic action plan in the area of justice and home affairs was adopted in Tampere in 1999. The next step to define the objectives and a calendar for each concrete JLS action was within the Hague Programme, which was adopted in November 2004 and expired in December 2009. Producing guidelines for future work in the form of a new action plan, the Stockholm Programme, will be a major and important negotiating task for the Swedish Presidency.
On 25 September 2008 the European Commission launched a public consultation on the scope of future cooperation directed at the Member States, national parliaments, the general public and other stakeholders. The Programme will be discussed at the informal JHA Council in Stockholm in July 2009 and is expected to be adopted at the EU Summit in December 2009.
The issues will affect several ministries in the Member States' government offices, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality.
The event:
12.30: Press Conference by President Barroso and Vice President Barrot in the Press room of the Berlaymont, Brussels.
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Freedom in a Safer Europe: Action Plan
Date: 10.06.2009 to 10.06.2009
Where: Brussels
Type: Non Legislative
Description:
The news:
The European Commission is adopting a communication on a five-year EU action plan for cooperation in judicial matters and home affairs, known as the Stockholm Programme.
This initiative will present the common priorities and objectives for the future development of the EU as an area of freedom, security and justice, and determine the means and initiatives to best achieve this at EU level. It will build on key strategic documents such as the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, the Communications of 17 June 2008 on Immigration and Asylum, the Communication on e-justice and the Action plan on drugs.
The plan includes police and customs cooperation, rescue services, criminal and civil law cooperation, asylum, migration, visas and checks at external borders, etc.
Under the slogan 'Broader Freedom in a safer Europe', the core areas for the strategy over the next five years are the following:
A Europe of rights: to strengthen citizens' rights;
A Europe of justice: to enable free movement of citizens;
To safeguard EU citizens towards a pluri-integrated society;
A Europe built in solidarity and responsibility on immigration and asylum;
The background:
The first strategic action plan in the area of justice and home affairs was adopted in Tampere in 1999. The next step to define the objectives and a calendar for each concrete JLS action was within the Hague Programme, which was adopted in November 2004 and expired in December 2009. Producing guidelines for future work in the form of a new action plan, the Stockholm Programme, will be a major and important negotiating task for the Swedish Presidency.
On 25 September 2008 the European Commission launched a public consultation on the scope of future cooperation directed at the Member States, national parliaments, the general public and other stakeholders. The Programme will be discussed at the informal JHA Council in Stockholm in July 2009 and is expected to be adopted at the EU Summit in December 2009.
The issues will affect several ministries in the Member States' government offices, including the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Integration and Gender Equality.
The event:
12.30: Press Conference by President Barroso and Vice President Barrot in the Press room of the Berlaymont, Brussels.
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http://europa.eu/geninfo/query/resultaction.jsp?page=1
Anne
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