Justice and Home Affairs Council, 18 November 2016

A meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council was held on 18 November 2016. The agenda included the following topics:

+ Policy debate on the forthcoming proposal from the European Commission setting up the EU Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS);

+ Discussion on the progress in boosting information exchange and improving interoperability in the area of justice and home affairs, based on the implementation report and the work carried out by the high-level expert group on information systems and interoperability.

+ Exchange of views on the future of the Schengen Information System;

+ Assessment of the implementation of the directive on the use of passenger name record (PNR) data;

+ Discussion on the implementation of counter-terrorism measures, based on a report drawn up by the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator.

Main results

ETIAS
The European Commission presented its recent proposal on the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will allow for advance checks and, if necessary, deny entry to visa-exempt travelers.

Ministers considered that the system proposed is, in principle, an appropriate tool for closing the information gap on visa exempt visitors and will therefore strengthen the EU's security and border management policy. They tasked experts to start examining the proposal.

Fight against terrorism
The Council took note of the report of the EU Counter-terrorism coordinator on the implementation of measures on counterterrorism.

The report presented the overall state of play, covering progress on all the measures since the European Council on 12 February 2015. It also included a set of recommendations for future action.

Exchange of information and interoperability
The Council took note of progress in implementing a roadmap to improve information exchange and information management, including interoperability solutions in the Justice and Home Affairs area.

Ministers were briefed on the work of the High Level Expert Group on Information Systems and Interoperability (HLEG). They discussed the improvements and additional functionalities that the Schengen Information System (SIS) could offer.

Investing in swift, effective and qualitative information exchange and information management and ensuring the interoperability of EU databases and information systems was an important way to address current security challenges.

At a dinner on the evening of the 17 November 2016, prior to the formal Council meeting, EU Interior Ministers discussed migration challenges in Europe, with disagreement between those countries wanting more burden sharing between EU countries and those opposing any system of formal burden sharing.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Justice and Home Affairs Council, 13-14 October 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/justice-and-home-affairs-council-13-14-october-2016/

EurActiv, 18.11.16: No compromise in sight, EU ministers at odds over immigration http://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/news/no-compromise-in-sight-eu-ministers-at-odds-over-immigration/

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

ESO: Background information: Relocation and Resettlement: Member States need to sustain efforts to deliver on commitments http://www.europeansources.info/record/relocation-and-resettlement-member-states-need-to-sustain-efforts-to-deliver-on-commitments/

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