Justice and Home Affairs Council

 

When: 07/03/2013 - 08/03/2013
Where: Justus Lipsius building, Brussels, Belgium
Topic: Justice and citizens rights
Organiser: Council of the EU

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Home affairs issues:

The Council is due to adopt two decisions concerning the establishment, operation and use of the second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II).

Regarding Schengen governance, the Council will take note of information from the Presidency on the state of play concerning the regulations:

• establishing an evaluation and monitoring mechanism to verify the application of the Schengen acquis;
• amending the Schengen Borders Code (regulation 562/2006) in order to provide for common rules on the temporary reintroduction of controls at internal borders in exceptional circumstances: in case of a serious threat to public policy or internal security or in case of serious deficiencies related to the external border controls.

In this context, ministers will also hear a presentation by the Commission of its "Smart Borders Package", which includes three proposals for regulations:

• establishing an Entry/Exit System (EES) to register entry and exit data of third country nationals crossing the external borders of the member states of the EU;
• establishing a Registered Travellers Program (RTP);
• amending Schengen Borders Code as regards the use of the EES and RTP.

Finally, ministers will take note of a joint presentation by the Counter Terrorism Coordinator, the Commission and the European External Action Service on the security situation in the Sahel/Maghreb.

On the sidelines of the Council, the Mixed Committee (the EU plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland), will be briefed on the state of play regarding the Schengen Information System (SIS II) and will also discuss the two proposals for regulations concerning Schengen governance. Furthermore, the Committee will take note of the Commission presentation of its "Smart Borders Package".

Justice issues:

Justice ministers are expected to reach a political agreement on the regulation on mutual recognition of protection measures in civil matters upon request of the person at risk.

The Council will hold an orientation debate concerning the proposed revision of the 1995 regulation on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (General Data Protection regulation)

Moreover, ministers will have a first exchange of views on the recent proposal for a directive on the protection of the euro and other currencies against counterfeiting by criminal law, following its presentation by the Commission.

A presidency briefing, agenda and background note will be published on the Council website closer to the date of the meeting.

• Presidency of the Council of the EU website
• Council website