Diana says Stockholm Programme plane 'strike the right tone' (Rotherham & Barnsley Liberal Democrats)

Rotherham & Barnsley Liberal Democrats <info@rotherhamandbarnsleylibdems.org.uk>

Diana says Stockholm Programme plane 'strike the right tone'

October 12, 2009 11:11 AM
Originally published by Diana Wallis MEP

Last week the European Parliament debated the Swedish EU Presidency's proposed new programme for freedom, security and justice in the EU. The plans were welcomed by Diana Wallis who said they 'strike the right tone'.

The 'Stockholm Programme' is the Swedish EU Presidency's proposed legislative agenda in the area of justice and home affairs (JHA) for the 2009-2014 period. It aims to "define the framework for EU police and customs cooperation, rescue services, criminal and civil law cooperation, asylum, migration and visa policy".

The meeting in the European Parliament last week saw four parliamentary committees as well as representatives from national parliaments, exploring the proposed Stockholm programme. It will set out the EU's priorities for the next five-year period on thorny issues such as EU citizenship - including measures to protect citizens - solidarity, access to justice and reaping the full benefits of the single market through European contract law.

Diana Wallis, speaking to EurActiv, welcomed the method of linking discussions across committees, as well as the message of last week's meeting.

"I think it was a very good process in the sense that four committees had to meet together and see the whites of one another's eyes. It seems to me that we were heading towards a much more balanced outcome than we might have had in the past," she said.

Diana went on to say she believed that the Swedish plans strike the correct tone, shifting the emphasis from immigration and security to "how we can make people's lives easier when they take up the opportunities offered by mobility around Europe". She added that in recent years, the sensitive issues in this debate had been "blown off course by 9/11," but was quick to stress that now the "civil law side of things" receives "equal billing with everything else".