The area of freedom, security and justice has been for the last 15 years one of the most dynamic of EU policy fields. Subject to significant Treaty changes, aiming to strengthen the incorporation of justice and home affairs at EU level, it has also been accompanied with three successive multiannual programmes – Tampere (1999); The Hague (2004) and Stockholm (2009) – setting for a five year period of time the agenda of actions.
With the Stockholm Programme coming to an end in 2014, the “Brussels Community” is increasing agitated with a recurring question: what will replace the Stockholm Programme? Paradoxically, this uncertainty is fuelled by the existence of a new and clear Treaty provision – Article 68 TFEU – which states “The European Council shall define the strategic guidelines for legislative and operational planning within the area of freedom, security and justice”.
Clear in its wording, this provision may lead to different understandings and unclear implications in practice. In order to provide more clarity, the European Policy Centre (EPC) set up a Task Force to reflect on the impact of this provision and more generally the future of the area of freedom, security and justice after 2014. Results of this process are reflected in this discussion paper which addresses the process and content regarding the definition of future strategic guidelines.
Read the full paper here