From MaltaMedia.com
MEUSAC discusses Immigration Pact in second meeting
By MaltaMedia News
Sep 26, 2008 - 5:11:48 PM
The Core Group of the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC) held its second meeting on Friday morning. The meeting was chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information, Chris Said.
The Core Group discussed a report on the Eligibility
Criteria for the participation of non-government organisations in the
MEUSAC consultation process as well as the draft of the Immigration
Pact which EU Home Affairs ministers agreed upon on Thursday.
The Core Group discussed a Report compiled by the Secretariat of MEUSAC and the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations on the Eligibility Criteria for the participation of non-government organisations in the MEUSAC consultation process. This process will take place within the nine Sectoral Committees to be established for this purpose in the coming weeks.
Members agreed that voluntary organisations that are enrolled with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, as well as those that are not enrolled yet fulfill the criteria established for enrolment are to be eligible to participate in the Sectoral Committees.
Agreement was also reached on the procedure to be adopted for the selection of three NGOs to represent the sector on the Core Group. The process will be conducted by the Council for the Voluntary Sector according to a method agreed upon by the Core Group members during the meeting.
The Core Group also discussed the Commission Communication to the European Parliament, to the Council, to the European Economic and Social Committee and to the Committee of Regions on a Common Immigration Policy for Europe. The Minister of Justice and Home Affairs, Dr. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and senior officials from his Ministry also participated in the Core Group’s discussion on this Communication.
Maltese members of the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee were also invited to participate in the discussion on this specific item. During the discussion, the Minister, in response to various questions raised by members of the Core Group, had the opportunity to expand on the Agreement reached on the 25th September by the EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on a European Pact on Immigration and Asylum.
It was agreed that due to the importance of this item on the national agenda, the Communication on a Common Immigration Policy would be discussed further between the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs and the Core Group members.
The Core Group also took note of a significant number of Explanatory Memoranda drawn up by the Implementing Ministries and incorporating the position of the Maltese Government on the various Commission proposals.
Memoranda that require further discussion will eventually be referred to the Sectoral Committees once these are established. Core Group members requested a number of clarifications on a number of issues dealt with in the Memoranda.
© Copyright 2008 by MaltaMedia.com