EU: Justice and Home Affairs Council, 18 September 2007, Brussels

Final press release, 18 September 2007 (pdf) Background Note (pdf) B Points Agenda (pdf) A Points Agenda (pdf) Residence permits: The Council agreed a “general approach”, see: EU doc no: 12725/1/07 Rev 1 (pdf). This the fingerprinting of all residence third country nationals (just over 18 million people) and the use of the “chip” to include “e-government” (right to health, social security, etc) and “e-business” “services” as well as “additional provisions”. Despite early differences between the EU governments the “hawks” have won: “The capture of fingerprints is compulsory as of the age of six years of age” See: Resident third country nationals – biometric residence permits (link) Other items to be discussed/adopted: – Draft Council Conclusions on further reinforcing the EU’s Southern Maritime Borders (pdf) – Council Decision on the stepping up of cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism and cross-border crime (Prum, pdf)