European Meetings

It's been a busy week for the Department in Europe.

On Monday 8 December, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O'Callaghan met with his European counterparts at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting to discuss migration and internal security.

An agreed position was reached on:

• a new common European return system for migrants staying in the EU unlawfully;
• a measure to establish a list of safe countries of origin at Union level;
• a proposal to update the reasons for determining a country to be a safe third country.

Other issues on the agenda for Ministers included the threats to internal security posed by drones, the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime, and measures to strengthen and reinforce the functioning of the Schengen area.

On Tuesday 9 December, Minister of State with responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice Niall Collins, met with European Justice Ministers to discuss a range of issues relating to GDPR for businesses, extradition cooperation and assistance to Ukraine.

The discussion included how to simplify the application of GDPR for business, how to improve extradition and judicial cooperation with third countries and how to further efforts to assist Ukraine in its fight against impunity regarding crimes committed in the context of Russia’s war of aggression.

Today, Wednesday 10 December, Minister Collins stayed in Brussels to attend the International Conference of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling. He also had a short bilateral with Suzanne Rabb, Incoming director general of ICMPD- International Centre for Migration Policy Development and Alex Norris, MP and Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum.

Meanwhile, in Strasbourg, Minister O’Callaghan was representing Ireland at the Council of Europe for discussions on migration and European Convention on Human Rights.

Further, the Minister had the opportunity to meet bilaterally with the British delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and Attorney General Richard Hermer, and also to meet with Michael O'Flaherty.