JPM Bulding a Citizens' Europe

HD

Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament will co-host a Joint Parliamentary Meeting (JPM) on the "Stockholm Programme" 2010 - 2014 focussing on the parliamentary dimension of a European Area of Freedom, Security and Justice.  The JPM entitled "Building a Citizens' Europe" is co-chaired by the Speaker of the Swedish Riksdag, Per Westerberg and held in the European Parliament on 16 and 17 November.  

This JPM is the first one held during EP President Jerzy Buzek's mandate.  Members of the European Parliament and their counterparts in national parliaments will debate the so-called "Stockholm Programme" dealing with the European area of Freedom, Security and Justice.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek said:

"I look forward to welcoming national parliamentarians to the European Parliament.  The Lisbon Treaty which for the first time confers an active role to national parliaments at the EU level will enter into force in about two weeks time.  

The Stockholm programme should focus on addressing the problems of migration on the basis of solidarity; strike a better balance between the security of citizens (e.g. protection of external borders, prosecution of trans-border crime) and the protection of their individual rights; provide citizens with fair access to justice; and settle the practical problems which citizens face in the European Union in matters subject to different legal orders."

The main issues on the agenda of this JPM are "Promoting Citizens' Rights - A Europe of values and rights", "A Europe of Justice - Strengthening democratic accountability and legal certainty at European, national and local level" and "Protecting Citizens - A European domestic security strategy". These topics will be dealt by the participants in three different working groups during the first day of the JPM and analysed in the plenary of the JPM on the second day.

The Stockholm Programme is to define the framework for EU police and customs cooperation, rescue services, criminal and civil law cooperation, asylum, migration and visa policy for the period 2010-2014. The Programme was discussed at the informal ministerial meeting in Stockholm in July 2009 and will ultimately be adopted by EU Heads of State and Government at the Summit in December 2009.

Joint Parliamentary Meeting "Building a Citizens' Europe"
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/webnp/cms/lang/en/pid/1209

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