Press Release: Commission acts to bolster citizens’ data protection, protect defendants’ rights and enhance immigration and asylum cooperation

Citizens expect to have the same rights and sense of security throughout the European Union. Creating a single area of justice and security for 500 million Europeans is a top priority for the European Commission in the next five years. The Commission on 20 April 2010 presented concrete actions – with set timetables – to boost citizens' ability to work, travel and study outside their home countries. The proposals will enhance citizens' security with better judicial cooperation and increased solidarity through a common immigration and asylum policy. Businesses will also benefit from less red tape and more legal certainty in cross-border transactions. With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009, the EU now has the tools to bring a new balance into policies to strengthen the rights and freedoms of Europe's citizens.

European Commission: Memo: MEMO/10/139: European Commission plan to deliver justice, freedom and security to citizens (2010 – 2014) http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/139&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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