Thursday, 18 June 2009

The Stockholm Programme

 You can hear a speaker on next month's Stockholm talks on 22nd July. 
Info on: www.no2id-handf.org.uk/ss220709.htm

The EU Soviet marches on. If Lisbon comes into force it will be 
unstoppable and there will be no legal way out only insurrection. 

http://synonblog.dailymail.co.uk/2009/06/the-lives-of-all-of-us.html

You know what they say about restaurants: there is no such thing as 
just one rat in the kitchen. It is the same here in Brussels. This week 
the Irish have finally seen the draft of assurances Brian Cowen's 
government want from the other EU members before they make the Irish 
vote again on the Lisbon Treaty. The draft is a rat, but I'l deal with 
it later, after I've seen what is going to happen to the 'assurances' 
tomorrow and Friday at the European Council. Today I will deal with one 
of the other rats in Brussels, the Stockholm Programme.

It is unlikely you have ever heard of the Stockholm Programme. It has 
only just been published. However, a committee known as the Future 
Group, organised by the justice commission, started planning it in 
January 2007. The full name of the Future Group is 'the Informal High 
Level Advisory Group of the Future of European Home Affairs Policy.' 
The British had no representative on it, merely an 'observer.' The 
group's findings have been bundled up as the Stockholm Programme. Here 
is how it works. The Lisbon Treaty gives new legal powers to the 
European institutions over, among other things, cross-border police 
co-operation, counter-terrorism, immigration, asylum and border 
controls. The Stockholm Programme outlines how the justice commission 
will implement these new legal powers for the next five years.

The commission claims the programme covers policy on 'freedom, 
security and justice serving the citizen.' Look closer and you will see 
it actually covers policy for restrictions on the citizen, surveillance 
by the European state -- yes, your fingerprints, credit card charges, 
email traffic and health records are now going to be available from 
Galway to Bucharest -- and the destruction of British judicial 
independence by the European institutions. Stockholm is a rat, and a 
big one.

If you don't want to take it from a right-wing libertarian like me, 
you can take it from a whole pack of left-wing libertarians, the 
European Civil Liberties Network. The ECLN is made up of groups drawn 
from across Europe. One of the founders was Gareth Peirce, solicitor 
for the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six, and more lately for one 
of the prisoners at Guantanamo. Here is what they have to say about the 
Stockholm Programme: the policies outlined in Stockholm 'constitute an 
attack on civil liberties and human rights.' The warn against 
'dangerous authoritarian tendencies within the EU.'

They are right to do so. Under EU legislation, state agencies are 
already implementing comprehensive surveillance regimes and beginning 
to build up what the ECLN calls a 'previously unimaginably detailed 
profile of the private and political lives of their citizens.' This is 
often done in the absence of any data protection standards, judicial or 
democratic controls.

'The EU has gone much further than the USA in terms of the legislation 
it has adopted to place its citizens under surveillance. While the 
Patriot Act has achieved notoriety, the EU has quietly adopted 
legislation on the mandatory fingerprinting of all EU passport, visa 
and residence permit-holders and the mandatory retention -- for general 
law enforcement purposes -- of all telecommunications data (our 
telephone, e-mail and internet usage records).'

The Future Group and their Stockholm Programme say they foresee a 
'digital tsunami' that will revolutionise law enforcement. Add this to 
the fact that, as the ECLN says, 'EU data protection law has already 
been left behind, with surveillance all but exempted. Individual rights 
to privacy and freedoms are being fatally undermined.'

One of the most rat-like things about these new proposals is the plan 
to set up a 'Homeland Security' industry. Billions of euros may be 
given as subsidies to European corporations to help them compete with 
US industries in developing security equipment and technology. If you 
knew how many thousands of uncontrolled, unregistered corporate 
lobbyists there are in Brussels, you would recognise the hand of 
European technology corporations in the drafting of this programme. 
Brussels will give the military-industrial corporations billions in 
European taxpayers' money, and in return the corporations will deliver 
technology that helps all the new European security forces track every 
one of us.

What is coming out of this will undoubtedly be an EU identity card and 
population register. Even Dick Cheney didn't dare try that one. There 
will be the power of security forces (forget 'cops,' what you are going 
to be hearing more and more about is 'security forces') to search 
computer hard-drives. But the security forces won't be coming through 
your door with a warrant. The searches will be 'remote,' online. This 
will be a particular threat to lawyers, journalists and any politicians 
opposing these growing EU powers. The policy of remote hard-drive 
searches was first proposed for the EU by the German government in June 
2008. Yes, the German government want a euro-Stasi. It really is so 
satisfying when politicians live up to their national stereotype.

Statewatch, another organisation monitoring civil liberties in Europe, 
is also warning against the Stockholm Programme. In an analysis of the 
Future Group's report by Tony Bunyan, he writes: 'European government 
and EU policy-makers are pursuing unfettered powers to access and 
gather masses of personal data on the everyday life of everyone -- on 
the grounds that we can all be safe and secure from perceived 
"threats."'

'There is an assumption, on this and wider issues in the EU, that "if 
it is technologically possible, why should it not be introduced?"' He 
notes that the EU's Schengen Information System (SIS) is to be upgraded 
to hold more categories of data (including fingerprints and DNA), 
access to all the data is tobe extended to all agencies (police, 
immigration and customs).' The commission has proposed a system to 
track the names of all passengers in and out of the EU, but some 
governments 'do not like limiting the use of data to terrorism and 
organsied crime and want to extend the proposals' scope from just in 
and out of the EU to travel between EU states and even within each 
state.' They want to extend it to sea travel and car travel, too: all 
those specialised cameras developed for reading car
registration plates make it possible.

Ah! but ordinary people will be told that if they have nothing to 
hide, they have nothing to fear. Ordinary people who believe that will 
then never realise, as Mr Bunyan says, 'why they did not get a job 
interview because their employer had access to a criminal record based 
on a "spent" conviction or why their application for an insurance 
policy failed because the company had access to their health record.'

The final agreement on all this is due to be adopted by heads of state 
and government at a meeting in Stockholm in December. Between now and 
then there is nothing any of us can do to stop it -- except force David 
Cameron to give Britain a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, no matter 
how many other countries have already ratified the treaty. Remember, 
the legal powers to establish this new techno-surveillance are only 
delivered to Brussels by the Lisbon Treaty. So demand a referendum, 
then vote No: or your secret ballot on Lisbon may be the last secret 
left to you.
--- this is an edited version of an article I have written for today's 
Irish Daily Mail

* You can hear a speaker on next month's Stockholm talks on 22nd July. 
Info on: www.no2id-handf.org.uk/ss220709.htm

===========================


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

         EU Parliament
                                                      ********************************
 
 
Freedom in a Safer Europe: Action Plan
Date : 10.Jun.2009

Where : Brussels

Action : Non Legislative

Word exportation
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.

               ****************************************************************

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.

                       ***************************************************************************

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/894&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/277&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

 

http://europa.eu/geninfo/query/resultaction.jsp?page=1

Anne

Posted by Britannia Radio at 21:40 


Posted by Britannia Radio at 11:53