Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Ahern, the President-in-Office of the Council, said today that the Irish Presidency aimed for greater security and prosperity for all citizens of the European Union. At the same time as backing him up 100% on that, I would also propose that it would be in the interests of our security if the package of measures that this House expects were to be implemented during the term of the Irish Presidency and also during the Dutch Presidency that will follow it. The House proposes this package of measures in the spheres of illegal immigration, the smuggling and trafficking of human beings, the securing of our external borders and the return of illegal residents in the European Union. I was commissioned to draft an own-initiative report for Parliament, and I am extremely pleased to note the excellent negotiations that we have had, with good results, and the fact that we have been able to achieve a broad consensus in the Committee, receiving also the support of the Council and the Commission. Let me express my gratitude to all those who played their part in producing this report. On what does this report focus? It basically appears to me that, although Parliament is able wholeheartedly to endorse the priorities set down in Thessaloniki, we do see it as important that particular attention be given to some of them, and I would now like to present six priorities for your consideration. The first priority has to do with securing external borders. Especially on the new external borders, we will need, in future, the same high standards of security everywhere. It necessarily follows that we will have to train the border guards in accordance with one single training plan, and that we should establish a European college in which senior officials can be promptly and speedily trained. Also connected with the external borders is the creation of a corps of border guards. This does not, however, mean that we can take competences away from the Member States, but rather, on the contrary, that competence to secure the borders must remain with them, whilst the European Union will provide, for fixed periods of time, on high-risk stretches of the border, and at the Member States’ request, special units financed by the Community in order to guarantee security there when there are temporary and special threats. That is what is meant by a corps of border guards, and we believe that it is possible. We of course want this to result in the Schengen standards being met as quickly as possible on all the new external borders, which means that the new Member States have the task – in which they will have the European Union’s support – of efficiently and speedily implementing as many of the measures as possible. The second priority is the standardised collection of data. If we want to exchange detailed information accurately between one Member State and another, between the Member States and the Commission and with third states, we need data in standard formats, and to take appropriate steps towards having a standardised data system at our disposal. We also urgently need the means to exchange this information with countries of origin and with transit countries. Thirdly, we need to implement a common asylum policy, common immigration policy measures and a return policy. Our expectation is that the Treaty will be adhered to and that the Irish Presidency will indeed manage, by May 2004 to decide on and adopt the necessary items of asylum legislation, so that we can comply with the Treaty and take the necessary political action to get a common asylum law. That will mean speedy decision-making on our part if refugees are to be helped and action taken. That is the second aspect of controlled and legal immigration. As our next priority, we should introduce documents that are difficult to counterfeit or falsify. I welcome the new requirement for biometric data to be included on visas and residence permits. We should also be working towards forgery-proof passports and towards the legal framework and technical equipment for the visa information system, which we need. Fifthly – and then I will finish – there is a need for information to be provided in the countries of origin, in order that suitable instruments may be used against people-smugglers. Finally, there are the financial aspects; we have already announced that increased funds will, by 2006, be made available for the visa information system, for the return plan and for border controls, provided that Parliament is given an appropriate say in the matter. Ambitious though all these measures are, we hope that they can be implemented during the term of this Presidency, thus enabling us to guarantee our citizens a secure Europe.

Political group: PPE-DE