The Stockholm Programme, work to combat human trafficking, a Common European Asylum System and visa exemption to the Schengen area for countries in the Western Balkans. These are some of the issues that the EU's ministers for justice and migration will be discussing when they meet at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 30 November and 1 December in Brussels. A number of the ministers' debates during the Council meeting will be webcast live on the Council website. Sweden's Minister for Justice Beatrice Ask and Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billström will chair the meeting.

Council to have its say on Stockholm Programme

The ministers will discuss the new Stockholm Programme, which defines the framework for EU police and customs cooperation, rescue services, criminal and civil law cooperation, asylum, migration and visa policy for the period 2010-2014. The Swedish Presidency presented a first draft of the Stockholm Programme in October this year after bilateral talks with all the Member States that wished to give their views. Since October the programme has been revised at ambassador level in Coreper. Now the Council will have its say on the updated programme before it goes on to the heads of state and government at the European Council on 10-11 December. The Presidency's vision for the Stockholm Programme is a more secure and open Europe where the rights of individuals are safeguarded.

Work to combat human trafficking within and outside the EU

A discussion on a proposal for combating human trafficking and protecting victims is also on the agenda. At its meeting on 23 October the Council succeeded in reaching agreement on most of the details surrounding the proposal and it is hoped that it will be possible to reach an agreement on the proposal as a whole at this Council meeting.

Because human trafficking is also an important issue in connection with the EU's external relations, the ministers are expected to adopt a document, drawn up by the Swedish Presidency, with measures and recommendations to combat human trafficking from an international perspective. It addresses ways to improve cooperation with the countries of origin and transit for human trafficking. It also addresses how cooperation can be improved at EU level.

Common European Asylum System within sight

The Swedish Presidency will present a progress report on the work to create a Common European Asylum System by 2012. During 2008 and 2009 a number of directives on asylum have been presented, for example on reception conditions for refugees, EU cooperation on quota refugees, EURODAC (a fingerprint database) and the establishment of an asylum support office and a common EU resettlement programme. The Commission will also present proposals from 21 October this year on changes to two directives, the Asylum Procedures Directive and the Qualifications Directive. According to the Commission, the overall aim of the directives is to achieve a higher level of protection throughout the EU for people in need of international protection.

Visa exemption to the Schengen area for countries in the Western Balkans

The Council is expected to adopt a proposal allowing citizens of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia to enter the Schengen area without a visa. The visa exemption will apply from 19 December 2009. The proposal also includes a statement from the Council and the European Parliament that is intended to encourage Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina to carry out the reforms required for them to also be given visa exemption.