RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the Union of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway on supplementary rules in relation to the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa, as part of the Internal Security Fund for the period 2014 to 2020
27.4.2017 - (13710/2016 – C8‑0005/2017 – 2016/0322(NLE)) - ***
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Rapporteur: Tomáš Zdechovský
PR_NLE-AP_Agreement
DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the Union of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway on supplementary rules in relation to the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa, as part of the Internal Security Fund for the period 2014 to 2020
(13710/2016 – C8‑0005/2017 – 2016/0322(NLE))
(Consent)
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the draft Council decision (13710/2016),
– having regard to the draft Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway on supplementary rules in relation to the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa, as part of the Internal Security Fund for the period 2014 to 2020 (13711/2016),
– having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 77(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C8‑0005/2017),
– having regard to the letter from the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
– having regard to Rule 99(1) and (4) and Rule 108(7) of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A8-0174/2017),
1. Gives its consent to the conclusion of the agreement;
2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Kingdom of Norway.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
In 2014, the European Parliament and the Council adopted, as part of the Internal Security Fund, the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa (ISF Borders and Visa) for the period 2014 to 2020 (Regulation (EU) 515/2014).
The main aim of the ISF Borders and Visa is to ensure a high level of security in the Union while facilitating legitimate travel through a uniform and high level of control of the external border and the effective processing of Schengen visas. The funding of around EUR 2.8 billion up to 2020 - mostly via national programmes - is to be used inter alia for building infrastructure needed at border crossing points and for border surveillance, funding the IT systems required by the European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR), as well as for actions to facilitate efficient management of migration flows, processing of visa applications and consular co-operation.
Article 5(7) of Regulation (EU) 515/2014 stipulates that the countries associated with the implementation, application and development of the Schengen acquis participate in the instrument in accordance with its provisions and that arrangements are to be concluded on their financial contributions and the supplementary rules necessary for such participation. This proposal - the draft Agreement with the Kingdom of Norway - is to establish exactly those arrangements, namely to enable the Commission to assume responsibility for the implementation of the budget of the instrument in this associated country and to determine the Kingdom of Norway’s contribution to the Union budget in respect of this instrument (around 19.8 million EUR per year).
Your rapporteur supports this proposal. The ISF Borders and Visa establishes a solidarity mechanism, binding the participating states by the same European rules on the control of external borders in each other's interests and on each other's behalf. In your rapporteur’s view the proposal will serve to accomplish a key objective of the Schengen acquis, namely to share responsibility for an efficient, high and uniform level of control at the external borders, in compliance with the Union’s commitment to fundamental freedoms and human rights.
ANNEX: LETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Ref: D (2017)16766
Mr Claude Moraes
Chair
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Dear Chair,
On 30 March 2017 the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) held an exchange of views on the draft recommendation by rapporteur Mr Tomáš Zdechovský on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the Union of the Agreement between the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway on supplementary rules in relation to the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa, as part of the Internal Security Fund for the period 2014 to 2020 (2016/0322 NLE).
At their meeting of 13 December 2016, the coordinators of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) decided that an AFET opinion on the above-mentioned agreement was to be provided to your Committee and the rapporteur in the form of a letter. In my capacity as Chair, I am pleased to provide you with AFET’s position.
As specified in the proposal, the purpose of the ISF-Borders and Visa is to establish a solidarity mechanism binding the participating states by the same European rules on the control of external borders in each other's interests and on each other's behalf. As a result, it aims to share out responsibility for an 'efficient, high and uniform level of control at the external borders', as set out in Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council, thereby achieving a key objective of the Schengen acquis.
In view of the above, AFET supports LIBE’s rapporteur Mr Zdechovský’s position that Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of such Agreement with the Kingdom of Norway, as part of the Schengen Associated Countries.
Yours sincerely,
David McAllister
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
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Title |
Agreement between the EU and the Kingdom of Norway on supplementary rules in relation to the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa, as part of the Internal Security Fund for the period 2014 to 2020 |
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References |
13710/2016 – C8-0005/2017 – COM(2016)0658 – 2016/0322(NLE) |
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Date of consultation / request for consent |
20.12.2016 |
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Committee responsible Date announced in plenary |
LIBE 16.1.2017 |
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Committees asked for opinions Date announced in plenary |
AFET 16.1.2017 |
BUDG 16.1.2017 |
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Not delivering opinions Date of decision |
AFET 13.12.2016 |
BUDG 9.11.2016 |
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Rapporteurs Date appointed |
Tomáš Zdechovský 5.12.2016 |
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Discussed in committee |
30.3.2017 |
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Date adopted |
25.4.2017 |
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Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
48 2 1 |
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Members present for the final vote |
Heinz K. Becker, Malin Björk, Michał Boni, Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra, Cornelia Ernst, Tanja Fajon, Raymond Finch, Monika Flašíková Beňová, Nathalie Griesbeck, Sylvie Guillaume, Jussi Halla-aho, Filiz Hyusmenova, Sophia in ‘t Veld, Eva Joly, Dietmar Köster, Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, Marju Lauristin, Monica Macovei, Roberta Metsola, Alessandra Mussolini, József Nagy, Péter Niedermüller, Soraya Post, Birgit Sippel, Branislav Škripek, Csaba Sógor, Helga Stevens, Traian Ungureanu, Bodil Valero, Marie-Christine Vergiat, Udo Voigt, Josef Weidenholzer, Kristina Winberg, Tomáš Zdechovský, Auke Zijlstra |
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Substitutes present for the final vote |
Pál Csáky, Maria Grapini, Jeroen Lenaers, Angelika Mlinar, Morten Helveg Petersen, Salvatore Domenico Pogliese, Emil Radev, Barbara Spinelli, Jaromír Štětina, Axel Voss |
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Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote |
Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Stefano Maullu, Momchil Nekov, Dariusz Rosati, Marco Valli, Julie Ward |
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Date tabled |
27.4.2017 |
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FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
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48 |
+ |
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ALDE |
Nathalie Griesbeck, Filiz Hyusmenova, Angelika Mlinar, Morten Helveg Petersen, Sophia in 't Veld |
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ECR |
Jussi Halla-aho, Monica Macovei, Branislav Škripek, Helga Stevens |
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EFDD |
Marco Valli |
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GUE/NGL |
Malin Björk, Cornelia Ernst, Barbara Spinelli, Marie-Christine Vergiat |
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NI |
Udo Voigt |
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EPP |
Heinz K. Becker, Michał Boni, Pál Csáky, Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra, Jeroen Lenaers, Stefano Maullu, Roberta Metsola, Alessandra Mussolini, József Nagy, Salvatore Domenico Pogliese, Emil Radev, Dariusz Rosati, Jaromír Štětina, Csaba Sógor, Traian Ungureanu, Axel Voss, Tomáš Zdechovský |
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S&D |
Tanja Fajon, Monika Flašíková Beňová, Maria Grapini, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Sylvie Guillaume, Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, Dietmar Köster, Marju Lauristin, Momchil Nekov, Péter Niedermüller, Soraya Post, Birgit Sippel, Julie Ward, Josef Weidenholzer |
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VERTS/ALE |
Eva Joly, Bodil Valero |
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2 |
- |
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EFDD |
Raymond Finch |
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ENF |
Auke Zijlstra |
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1 |
0 |
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EFDD |
Kristina Winberg |
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Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
- : against
0 : abstention