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G6: Ministerial Meeting

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Identity (Meg Hillier) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The informal G6 group of Interior Ministers from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland and the UK held their most recent meeting in Sopot, Poland on 17 to 18 October. The Home Secretary attended on behalf of the United Kingdom. A copy of the meeting's conclusions has been placed in the Library of the House. Ministers agreed that the G6 was not the best forum to discuss the future of justice and home affairs (JHA) business in the European Union. They did, however, share a common interest in seeing future developments within the EU focus on effective and practical co-operation. In discussing the external dimension of JHA, the Ministers agreed that there was a real need for operational dialogue with third countries to be fostered in all policy areas, in particular in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal immigration. In particular all noted that it was not possible to deliver on security in the European Union without such engagement. Within that context there was an emphasis on taking forward the EU's global approach to migration in Africa and the east and south-east neighbourhoods. On counterterrorism, Ministers discussed the terrorist threat and measures to counter it, including the deportation of suspected terrorists to third countries. Ministers reaffirmed in the conclusions of the meeting their commitment to working together to strengthen states' ability to combat terrorism. The Home Secretary also expressed our continued support to the EU police mission to Afghanistan. The next meeting of the G6 will be held in Spain in the first half of 2008.