Agenda Raad Justitie en Binnenlandse Zaken op 18-19 juli (en)

The Informal Meeting of the Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs of the European Union (EU) will be held in Vilnius on 18-19 July. It will be devoted to address the issues of migration, refugees of the Syrian conflict, cyber security, the personal data protection reform and the future of justice and home affairs area.

On the first day of the Informal EU Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA), 18 July, the meeting of the ministers responsible for home affairs will take place. It will be chaired by the Minister of the Interior Dailis Alfonsas Barakauskas. During the meeting, the greatest attention will be paid to the issues of cyber security. The questions of migration, security of refugees from Syria as well as perspectives of the development of justice and home affairs area will be discussed.

With the view of the topicality of cyber security, Minister of the Interior D. A. Barakauskas will invite the European ministers for discussion on further actions and measures necessary to ensure cyber security and resistance, to strengthen prevention of fight against crimes in cyberspace.

At the meeting the 4th Annual European Commission Report on immigration and asylum will be presented, and the EU's migration policy strategy for promoting the EU's growth and economic recovery and ensuring the credibility and openness of the EU will be discussed. The sensitive issue about security of refugees from the Syria will also will be discussed. Antonio Guterres, the UN High comissioner for Refugees, has been invited to present latest review and assessment of situation in Syria.

On 19 July, the second day of the informal meeting, the EU Member States ministers responsible for justice issues will meet in Vilnius. The main attention will be focused on the debates on the future of the justice area and the data protection reform proposed by the European Commission.

Both Minister of the Interior and Justice Minister emphasize that discussions on the perspectives of justice and home affairs area will be a valuable contribution to drawing up strategic guidelines for the development of the area of freedom, security and justice.

During the Presidency Lithuania will actively pursue the implementation of the Stockholm Programme and give special attention to the interests and needs of the EU citizens, which is a priority of this programme.

The main goal of the personal data protection reform is to modernize the existing EU data protection rules in response to globalization and development of information technology. The reform aims at ensuring more consistent, clearer and smoother application of data protection standards in all EU countries.

Delegation of more than 30 EU and other states, the Vice-President of the European Commission (EC) Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Viviane Reding i, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström i, representatives of the European Parliament and EU agencies intend to participate in the Informal meeting of JHA ministers.