At the GDISC-meeting in Prague in October 2006, the member countries agreed to set up a monthly column at the GDISC-website. The idea is that the column will enable the countries to introduce and discuss common issues on a regular basis. The column is an opportunity to share ideas, tips, thoughts, successes and pitfalls with our colleagues around Europe - and to get updated on current developments in each other's countries.
The task of writing the column will be circulated amongst the Director-Generals. The idea is that in every column a new subject will be introduced and passed on to the next person. The column writer raises a new issue by leaving a thread in the column for a country of his or her choice to pick up and discuss. The list of common issues is a very long one and every Director-General should feel free to choose an interesting topic of his or her concern.
When invited to write a column don't hesitate to contact Noor Jacques at the GDISC secretariat for further information on practical details.
|
Lampedusa Diary of Peter Veld
In 2004 at the initiative of the Netherlands, GDISC was founded as a network organisation of the general directors of the immigration services of the EU, the EEA and the candidate countries. The organisation currently has 33 members and I have been elected chair. Every year a plenary meeting is held, the Annual. There is a wide variety of other activities and conferences. This year’s Annual was held in Rome, at the Lampedusa military air base.
|
|
On March 2, 2008, a new legislative decree (n° 25 dated January 28, 2008) came into force in Italy aiming at implementing the EU directive 2005/85/CE, that states rules for procedures to be enforced by member States in order to recognize and revoke the status of a refugee. The legislative decree n° 25 is closely linked to a previous act (legislative decree n° 251 dated November 19, 2007), passed last Autumn by Parliament, which implemented the EU directive 2004/83/CE on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third country nationals or stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need international protection.
|
|
The Danish Immigration Service is currently undergoing a major re-orientation.
The re-orientation is very much linked to the important challenges Denmark is facing at the moment with regard to the designing of the immigration system, namely
- ensuring constant focus on effective and service-minded case working by improving the client service
- appearing service-minded and be recognised as such by end-2008
- and simplifying the procedures while at the same time preventing fraud and abuse.
|
|
The European Union focuses after the first phase on the way to a Common European Asylum System on practical cooperation in implementing the Directives and Regulations in the field of asylum. In this respect “quality” of the asylum system is one of the topics mentioned. Therefore it is not a big surprise to find “quality” in the ERF-program for the next years, too.
So one could ask, what did the asylum authorities –courts including – produce in the last years? What means “quality” and who judges “good or bad” results, on what source and how to measure decisions and the processes leading to it?
|
|
The last GDISC Annual Conference was only a short while ago and yet since then a lot has happened here in the UK: ministerial changes, floods and terrorist incidents to name a few!
Ministerial changes are not new to civil servants and we have learned to adapt quickly. These were expected and our people took it in their stride efficiently and professionally. We were all very happy to welcome Jacqui Smith, the first female Home Secretary and her new Ministerial team. We were also very happy to retain Liam Byrne as our Minister giving us some much valued continuity.
|
|
As we all know, during the Netherlands’ Presidency of the EU, in July 2004, a specific cooperation network for the General Directors of the European Immigration Services was established.
Meanwhile the network has covered enough ground enabling General Directors not only to exchange information, practices and proposals, but also to solve common problems, harmonizing effective policies and best practices. It undertook initiatives of increased added value in the sector of both legal and illegal immigration.
|
|
The government that recently took office in the Netherlands is a coalition between Christian Democrats (Christen Democratisch Appel, CDA), Social Democrats (Sociaal Democraten, PvdA) and a small party, called Christen Unie (CU). This centre-left coalition based on the result of the elections held in November 2006 replaces the centre-right coalition that was made up of CDA and the liberals (VVD). Rita Verdonk’s position (VVD), the former Minister for Immigration and Integration, is taken over by State Secretary Nebahat Albayrak (PVDA).
|
|
The issuing of electronic identity cards for Belgians (eID) has been on cruising speed in the last years. Around 4.5 million eID have been delivered to Belgian citizens. The experience with the eID clearly shows the added value of a dynamic policy regarding official documents, both for the authorities as for the card holder.
|
|
Famous Swedish diplomat and former Secretary General of the UN Mr. Dag Hammarskjold used to say: “For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes”. In Estonia we are open to all innovations and progressive ideas exactly in the same mood.
|
|
It was very inspiring seeing you in Prague in October. There I had the pleasure to lead a workshop on management of Immigration Services. During that workshop we came up with the idea of setting up a monthly column at the GDISC website, a column that will enable us to discuss common issues on a regular basis. So, said and done, welcome to the first column and the start of what I hope will be a lively exchange of ideas and experiences!
|
