Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-03-10-Speech-1-083"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20080310.17.1-083"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Madam President, let me begin by saying that, as everyone knows, the common European visa policy has so far brought us tangible results with several third countries, such as, very recently, Canada and Australia. This has not been the case, unfortunately, with the United States.
We need to keep in mind that the EU and the United States are close allies. This has been demonstrated on numerous occasions. Fighting terrorism is a global challenge, which not only affects us all but which can also only be successfully countered if we work together. The European Union is ready to do its part by keeping Member States united and respectful of European common legislation and competence.
In conclusion, we will be negotiating with the United States. It is simply not possible to abandon, to renounce, not only our European legislation but also our common criteria, on the basis of which we have been negotiating. We will continue to negotiate. No Member State will be entitled or allowed to violate or to derogate from European legislation on this.
Since 2004, we have been working very hard to achieve the aim of having all Member States in the United States’ visa waiver programme. I, together with the Presidents-in-Office of the Council, have constantly pressed the United States administration to make the voices of all EU Member States heard in Washington. President Barroso, as you know, has raised the issue personally with President Bush, as well as with the leaders of the US Congress on each of his official visits to Washington.
We have all argued that EU Member States already meet the additional security criteria as set out in the reform legislation recently adopted by the United States. We fully understand that the lack of progress with the United States has created a lot of frustration among those not yet participating in the US visa waiver programme. Our citizens have a legitimate right not to understand the reasons for such discrimination.
We should not allow ourselves, however, to be divided and bullied into going beyond what has recently been agreed and accepting what should be out of the question – for example, providing others with access to Schengen migration data and asylum data. All this should be out of the question.
We need detailed discussion, negotiation and consideration of reciprocity. We have, after all, achieved a great deal together. Most recently, we have celebrated the expansion of the Schengen area to most of Europe. In turn, it gives us collective responsibility for dealing with all matters relating to the security of the external borders and for ensuring the correctness of the screening and handling of data pertaining to all those who visit our common territory.
I do not question the right of EU Member States to engage with the United States on issues which are national prerogatives, for example cooperation between intelligence services or air marshal programmes, but we are of the view that what the US is asking from all of us in different visa-related issues raises serious legal and political questions.
Allow me to underline that, although the sense of urgency may be understandable, we all have to acknowledge that the signing of the memorandum of understanding does not get anyone into the visa waiver programme the next day
The United States still has to set up the electronic travel authorisation and the air exit control. It will undertake extensive on-site evaluation visits in the countries concerned. Therefore, there is no need to hurry into something that is legally questionable and leaves each country to its own devices when negotiating with the United States.
Since all European Union Member States, both those seeking the waiving of visas and those already in the programme, are concerned by this and are being approached by the United States, Coreper – the ambassadors of the European Union Member States – adopted on 5 March a common baseline: a set of common parameters that will guide the discussions the Member States will have individually with the United States. It will be a good basis for our talks with US partners at the EU-US ministerial troika on 13 March 2008.
In parallel, I will present tomorrow a mandate for proper EU negotiations with the United States on matters arising from visa policy. By pursuing a common approach based on common parameters, we will reinforce the possibility of reaching, in the short term, an agreement with our American partners on the mandate proposed by the Commission."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples