European Commission
Malmström

I am on a mission to the US and today I will give a lecture at Harvard. I have been invited to their European Program, the Kokkalis Program, to talk about current European challenges.

I will address three challenges. The first is the response to the Arab Spring. Following the historic developments in the Arab world, the EU will need to bring about a serious change in its policies towards its Mediterranean neighbours. The second challenge is the need for a common European migration policy. The EU is facing a declining labour force and needs to attract the rights skills and talent. And the third challenge is the need for a common European asylum policy. The EU must ensure equal treatment of asylum seekers no matter where they apply and make sure all Member States shoulder their share of responsibility. You can read the full speech here.

Tomorrow I will travel to Washington to meet with the Attorney General, Eric Holder, and to visit the FBI to learn more about their work to combat cybercrime.

February 10th, 2010, was my first day as EU Commissioner. Two full years into my mandate, I can easily say that this has been two tough years. The economic crisis, with high levels of unemployment, has overshadowed all other policy areas. The Arab Spring has brought new hopes of democratic neighbours but also raised new challenges for them and for us.  They have clearly indicated the desire to cooperate with us on issues like migration, asylum, police, security and visa facilitation. This is also in our interest and therefore we are now preparing mobility partnerships with countries in the North African region, starting with Tunisia.

The events in southern Mediterranean have put pressure on the Schengen system, and in September last year I presented a proposal on how Schengen can be strengthened, safeguarding this fantastic achievement, but making sure that we improve our evaluation systems and minimize the risk of abuses. Negotiations are ongoing.

Since February 2010 we have advanced quite a lot in the work on the asylum package, although many difficulties remain. The deadline set by the European council, is 2012. We urgently need a system that is common in Europe, allowing asylum seekers to get the same treatment wherever they launch their application. Today, ten countries receive 90% of the asylum applications in the EU. With all countries having an administration and infrastructure in place, it will allow for a more even responsibility and solidarity between EU members.

We have adopted the long term residence directive, as well as the qualification direction and are very close to an agreement on the European Resettlement Program. The Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Malta is up and running, mainly assisting Greece where all member states, the commission and many others are involved to help the country to set up a reception system as well as build up a functioning border control. All member states participated in the Frontex/led RABIT-operation at the Greek/Turkish border.

In the field of legal migration we have agreement on the single permit and are well advanced in the directives on seasonal workers and Intra Corporate Transferees. This will protect legal migrants but also reduce bureaucracy in the member states. With my college Lazlo Andor we are planning further initiatives on labour skills needed for the future, including the need for further labour migration. In times where growth is desperately needed, we must make sure that we can get the best skills.

We have lifted the visa obligation for Albania and Bosnia and also started the dialogue with Kosovo, enabling easier people to people contact. Visa facilitation negotiations are ongoing with Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and soon hopefully with Turkey and Georgia.

In the security area I am most proud of the anti-trafficking directive that gives us better tools to fight this horrible modern slavery. With the employment of our anti-trafficking coordinator at the Commission’s Directorate-General for Home Affairs, I think we are better equipped than ever. Also, the directive on combating sexual violence and abuse of children is very dear to my heart and will help us to better protect the most vulnerable; our children.

In September last year I inaugurated RAN, the network that will help us prevent and identify violent radicalisation and extremism. The network is connecting local actors from all over Europe – academics, social workers, teachers, victims, and others to exchange information and best practices to prevent young people from falling into violent extremism. We have concluded negotiations on Passenger Name Records (PNR) with Australia and the U.S. and also put forward a proposal on a European PNR.

Corruption is a disease that eats confidence and trust and also erodes the legal economy. Last year I launched an anticorruption package, aiming for a report next year with tailor-made recommendations to all member states. To protect the licit economy is important, as well as restoring trust.

So a lot has been done since February 2010, but many things still remain. I am looking forward to all the possibilities and challenges of the rest of my mandate.

Looking back at 2011, it has definitely been a very eventful year. The economic crisis has put pressure on people, politicians, governments and the European institutions. The problems are far from resolved as we enter 2012. There is still a long way to go.  But I hope we can shift our gaze in 2012 from the European crisis to providing all the support we can to a democratic transition in our neighbourhood.

The events last year related to the Arab spring really were historic. That people, in one country after another, stood up in protest against dictators, demanding free elections, democracy and human rights is truly amazing. Ben Ali and Mubarak are now gone and Kadaffi is dead.  This creates new conditions in countries where democracy has been in short supply. The brave people in Syria continue their protest against the violent and utterly tone-deaf regime.  I really hope that we will also see a change of regime in Damascus.

Another event that touched me deeply in 2011 is the massacre at Utöya in Norway last summer. It is still so unspeakably cruel and incomprehensible, and it has made us aware of how important it is to work together to identify extremists of all kinds and prevent that acts of violence of this kind is repeating themselves. The launch of the Radicalisation Awareness Network in September has been a great success, allowing many people to come together to share experiences in an effort to prevent violence.

The Poles have now handed over the EU Presidency to the Danes. The Poles had a hard time during the Autumn, in the shadow of “Merkozy”, but Prime Minister Tusk handled the situation well and has shown great European leadership. In my area, we have taken small but important steps forward regarding the asylum package. As the Danes now taken over it is important to continue these efforts so that, by the end of the year, we hopefully have all the pieces in place.

And as the new year begins, we are closely following the worrying developments in Hungary. The new Constitution has just come into force and it contains several problematic clauses that do not appear to be consistent with the fundamental values that all EU countries endorse. It has also led to large protests in Hungary. In addition, new laws have been adopted which greatly undermine both the Hungarian Central Bank, the judiciary and the Data Protection Ombudsman’s independence. The Commission has repeatedly expressed concern for these laws, and for the Constitution. Chairman Barroso has already sent two letters to the Hungarian Prime Minister, asking for clarification.

There is certainly no shortage of things to do in 2012, but let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year!

My day is filled with different meetings in Brussels. I have taken the opportunity to meet with the Russian Minister of Justice who is in Brussels for the EU – Russia summit. We talked about future steps towards visa-free short-term travel for Russian and European citizens, and about our cooperation in the fight organized crime and corruption. I also expressed our concerns about the reports on election fraud, and expressed our hope that President Medvedev really is serious about investigating all allegations. I guess this question will also be an important issue raised at the summit.

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction has today, together with Europol, presented a new report on amphetamines in Europe. Amphetamine is the second most commonly used drug after cocaine in Europe. Despite this, we know less about amphetamine than about other drugs, such as heroin and cocaine. This new report is very interesting reading, giving information on trends, usage and trafficking routes within and to Europe. The report will hopefully contribute to the work of Europol in fighting organized groups who make big money out of drug sales and trafficking. This week Europol, together with the Spanish police, dismantled a gang involved in smuggling of cannabis and counterfeiting. The group had its seat in Spain but was operating in 20 different EU countries. 25 people were arrested on this occasion.

Later this evening it is the Christmas party with the officials in my DG, DG Home. It is a relatively small DG in comparison with other DGs, with just under 300 staff. And they’ve really worked hard this year. We have, in this year alone, presented 58 different proposals - a year in Home Affairs which was characterized by events such as the Arab spring, the crisis in Greece and the terrorist attacks in Norway. In addition, we have had negotiations on the Asylum package, Schengen issues, endless visa negotiations, etc., etc.. The DG really has made a great effort this year and they are all to go off for a well-deserved Christmas break soon.

Like other countries across North Africa, Morocco was also affected by the Arab spring. However, it took a different route than Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. The King has managed to stay, making an early declaration of his intention to implement a number of democratic reforms. One part of this was to call for a new election, which was held last Friday. As the moderate Islamist PJD party got the majority of the votes, the King will now appoint a Prime Minister from that party. According to observers, it seems to have been a calm and peaceful election, but there was reportedly a low turnout of 45.4%. But this, after all, is a slight increase since the last election four years ago. Slowly but surely, it looks like there is more and more democratic progress in Morocco.

Today, also the Egyptians go to the polls. I was in Egypt last Spring when they had just voted for the Constitutional amendments which required new elections. The optimistic mood for change which I encountered back then has unfortunately declined. I now follow with concern developments following the recent unrest.

At the same time, in another part of Africa, environment and climate Ministers are meeting in Durban to discuss the continuation of the International Climate Agreement, which expires in 2012. In the wake of the economic crisis and now with the current debt crisis, actions for climate change have been left behind. The EU continues to push for an increase in countries’ commitment, but unfortunately, even efforts in Europe have slowed down. It is worrying that countries do not realize that the climate investments we make today will yield significant gains in the future.

I am now on my way to Serbia to speak at a conference on organised crime in the Western Balkans. I will also meet with the President and the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers to discuss cooperation on Home Affairs. Two burning topics for the Western Balkans are the treatment of Roma, and combating human trafficking, and I will highlight these questions in my conversations with the Ministers. I will also visit a refugee facility for Roma and some Red Cross initiatives in the fight against trafficking tomorrow.  Serbia is also awaiting the EU summit on 9 December, where the Commission has proposed that Serbia should be granted candidate status.  It is now the Member States that will make the decision.

Lecture at the University of Copenhagen

I have spent the day in Copenhagen, as part of preparations for the incoming Danish EU Presidency. The day began with me giving a public lecture at the University of Copenhagen. The theme was the Arab spring and the EU’s migration policy. It was followed by a really good discussion and the students were extremely well informed.

Then I had a long conversation with Morten Bödskov, the new Minister of Justice, who is the Danish Minister responsible for most of my portfolio issues. We went through all the issues on the agenda for the first half of next year, and discussed various difficulties and opportunities. It will not be an easy Presidency, in view of the economic crisis and the negotiations on the next multi-annual budget. In the area of Home Affairs alone, there are many tricky issues, such as the asylum package, the Schengen proposal, a number of visa issues, cybercrime, border control, etc. to be addressed during their Presidency. The Danes have opt-outs on almost all of these issues, but I am convinced that they will manage to solve several difficult issues in spite of that. We have high hopes.

I also met with the Labour and Integration Minister, Mette Frederiksen, to discuss, among other issues, labour migration.

Today’s visit also provided a good opportunity to communicate that the Commission’s review of the recent Danish plans to reinforce border controls, is now formally closed.

Today I met with the Foreign Minister of Georgia to discuss visa related issues. In March this year we concluded a visa facilitation agreement with Georgia and so far it has been working well. We agreed to send a group of Commission experts to Tbilisi in March next year to evaluate the system and hopefully we will be able to proceed with the next steps in the process towards accomplishing full visa liberalisation between Georgia and the EU. Georgia is an important partner withing the Eastern Partnership.

I also met with the Tunisian minister of Home Affairs, on visit in Brussels today. We met earlier this year when I was in Tunisia and today we continued the discussions on how to continue our cooperation. The transition government in the country is now fully occupied with the preparations for the elections, which will be held the 23 of October. Political parties, as well as voters, are registering and the media is preparing for the first free elections. This will be an event followed closely from all around the world. Tunisia was the first country to lead the Arab Spring with the Jasmine Revolution and the development in the country can in several aspects serve as a model for other countries. We discussed the support Tunisia need in order to take care of the refugees at the Tunisian border and we also discussed visa facilitation and education of policemen, meeting the requirements of a police force in a democratic country.