24.11.2010, 16:02

EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs


EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs took place on 23-24 November 2010 at the Council of the European Union, in Brussels, under the Belgian Presidency and in close cooperation with the European Commission. At a two-day ministerial forum on justice and home affairs participants discussed the Western Balkan countries' co-operation with Europol and Frontex, visa liberalisation dialogue and migration issues, as well as the fights against weapons traffickers, human trafficking and money laundering. Other topics included reforms in the judiciary and judicial co-operation.

Folowing the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs, Stefaan De Clerk, Acting Belgian Minister for Justice and President in office of the Council, stated the outcome of the meeting.

The ministers discussed visa liberation and illegal migration. 'We work especially on the illegal migration, asking for monitoring, asking for prevention mechanism and the Commission ask to start and will involve all the stakeholders to discuss specially those items.' Regarding data protection, Stefaan De Clerk underlined the neccessity to ensure that it is fully repspected.

The Ministers also stressed the full cooperation between EU and Western Balkans in criminal matters. 'There was this idea of Balkan arrest warrant, as we have the European arrest warrant which is a very important instrument for cooperation if somebody needs to be brought to an other country for investigation, said Stefaan De Clerck.

Mr Anton Travner, Head of PCC SEE Secretariat, participated at the Forum where he had according to the agenda three presentations. 



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