Security Union; preparation of the European Council and Glyphosate

Met dank overgenomen van , gepubliceerd op dinsdag 12 december 2017.

The Commission presents proposals to close information gaps and announces new measures on Glyphosate

Security Union

As announced in the Letter of Intent by President Juncker i, the Commission presented today its proposals to close information gaps in EU information systems for security, border and migration management and making them work together in a smarter and more efficient way.

The measures proposed today will enable information exchange and data sharing between the different systems and ensure that border guards and police officers have access to the right information exactly when and where they need, whilst ensuring the highest data protection standards and full respect of fundamental rights. In the context of recent security and migratory challenges, the proposal will ensure greater safety of EU citizens by facilitating the management of the EU's external borders and increasing internal security.

Concretely, the Commission proposed the following new tools to make a more intelligent and targeted use of the information available in the existing and future systems:

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European search portal - a "one-stop shop" carrying out a simultaneous search of multiple EU information systems, in line with the users’ access rights;

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Shared biometric matching service - a tool cross-checking biometric data (fingerprints and facial images) and detecting links between information on the same person in different EU information systems;

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Common identity repository - a shared container of biographical and biometric information, such as name and date of birth, stored in relevant systems about non-EU citizens;

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Multiple identity detector - automatic alert system flagging to border guards and police cases of fraudulent or multiple identities;

The College also adopted the 12th Security Union report which takes stock of actions taken to deny terrorists the means to act, strengthen cyber resilience, counter radicalisation online and offline, and build up the external security dimension.

Glyphosate

In order to address the concerns underlined by EU citizens, the Commission adopted a Communication in response to the European Citizens' Initiative 'Ban Glyphosate and protect people and the environment from toxic pesticides'. This initiative includes the Commission's commitment to present a legislative proposal in 2018 to increase the transparency and quality of studies used in the scientific assessment of substances such as Glyphosate. Following a thorough scientific assessment of all available data on Glyphosate concluding that there is no link between Glyphosate and cancer in humans and the positive vote by Member States on 27 November, the College agreed to renew the approval of Glyphosate for 5 years. While 15 years is the period that the Commission usually proposes for authorisations when all approval criteria are met, glyphosate is no routine case. This issue has been discussed a dozen times by the Commission that has been working during the last months towards a decision which gathers the broadest possible support by Member States, while ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment in line with EU legislation. The Commission’s final proposal for a 5 year renewal took also into account the latest non-binding Resolutions adopted by the European Parliament.

Preparation of the European Council

The College prepared the December European Council (14-15 December) which will mark an important step on the Roadmap for a More United, Stronger and More Democratic Union as put forward by President Juncker in his State of the Union address. EU leaders will discuss a range of topics including Defence and Security, Europe's social dimension, education and culture, migration, deepening the Economic and Monetary Union and progress on Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom. In order to contribute to the debate, the European Commission has, over the past weeks, put forward initiatives on migration, banking and capital markets union and the future of the Economic and Monetary Union, as well as it's assessment on progress under phase 1 of the Brexit negotiations.

A modernised partnership with Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific countries

In February 2020, the Cotonou Agreement between the members of the Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States, and the European Union and its Member States will expire and negotiations on how to govern future relations have to start no later than August 2018. Working on how this relationship will look like post-2020, the Commission adopted today a Recommendation on the key elements to be included in the negotiating mandate, which most importantly includes the modernisation of the partnership with Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific Countries.

The Commission recommended to the Council that the focus be on common interests and values between the EU countries and the ACP countries, and to go beyond development policy only.

Other issues

Commissioners were debriefed on the Economic Partnership Agreement finalised with Japan which is the biggest bilateral trade agreement ever negotiated by the European Union.

The Commission expressed concerns regarding the draft US tax bill which, as it currently stands, contains elements that may lead to unfair trade practices incompatible with WTO rules as well as with double taxation treaties.

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