A common European home

The European Union has delivered a single market and a common currency. Both are key to Europe's prosperity but also to its cohesion. But the EU has always been about more than just commerce and economics.

My experience is that people ask practical questions about their EU rights that go well beyond the single market. Questions like: What is the EU doing to provide me with a secure environment? How can the EU help me with this problem? What are my rights if I move to another EU country? And what is my redress if my EU rights are not respected?

Indeed, Europeans feel that Europe stands for more than just a market. It also stands for a union of citizenship and of rights. To put it in other words, citizens want to feel at home wherever they are in Europe.

They, therefore, want a common European home where their rights, as European citizens, are strengthened and respected, be it their freedom, their civil liberties, their security or their access to justice.

We, therefore, need to dismantle the remaining barriers, invisible walls and curtains, that citizens still face when they move around Europe. And we also need to construct a common European justice system that makes it easier for them to defend their rights when they face legal difficulties in other EU countries. Currently, we still have 27 different justice systems that render the prospect of seeking justice abroad a veritable nightmare. Never mind the fight against the multifarious threats of cross-border crime.

So how will we get there?

Late last year, a so-called Stockholm Programme was adopted to pursue the objective of establishing a European area of freedom, justice and security. Last week, this programme was followed up with the adoption of an action plan consisting of a to-do list of concrete measures for the next five years.

To begin with, the programme puts human rights at its centre, laying emphasis on those rights that are more relevant for today's circumstances, such as the protection of children, the protection of privacy and the protection from racism and xenophobia. And, of course, citizens' freedom of movement throughout Europe will be bolstered and all remaining obstacles will be dismantled.

Other measures will seek to strengthen mutual trust and confidence in the European judicial area, especially among judges, legal professionals, businesses and citizens.

Mutual trust requires minimum common standards but also a proper understanding of the different legal traditions among EU countries. Thus, European action must not be overpowering but must be limited to what makes sense for Europeans to do together rather than on their own. In other words, the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity must be respected.

Several measures are put forward to bolster security, especially in the face of the threats of terrorism and cross-border crime such as trafficking in human beings, the sexual exploitation of children and paedophilia.

Greater impetus is also given to achieving a truly common European migration and asylum policy based on rules that are both firm and fair and which put solidarity at the centre of common action. Solidarity is necessary with migrants and asylum seekers. But it is now widely acknowledged that it is also necessary with EU countries that are shouldering a disproportionate burden as a result of migratory flows.

At the same time, a common migration policy must strengthen our external borders and protect them from irregular entry. Irregularly staying third-country nationals found in EU territory must be returned and, to this end, the EU must show that it is able to deliver a coordinated and effective returns policy.

These are just some of the issues covered. There are many others.

And it is clear that in these areas we are likely to be more effective when working together rather than on our own. But it remains to be seen if and how these measures will be implemented.

The European Parliament will be vigilant on the European Commission to see that concrete results are achieved. As the directly elected representatives of the European citizens, we have a vested interest in ensuring that this is done. Our role will be even more central now because, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, we share equal powers with the Council of Ministers in the decisions that need to be taken.

If we get this right we would have rendered a remarkable service. We would have delivered Europe's next big project since the single market, a project that truly puts citizens at the heart of Europe. We would have given EU citizenship its true meaning because citizens would be able to rely on clear and effective rights wherever they are in the EU territory and beyond.

We would have given EU citizens a common European home.

www.simonbusuttil.eu

Dr Busuttil is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.