Press room
2010 - News
28.06.2010
Annual meeting of the General Directors' European Immigration Services Conference held in Naples
During the sessions held from 23rd to 25th June discussions also covered the activity carried out by the European Asylum Support Office recently set up. Opening address by the prefect Angela Pria, Head of Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration
The seventh annual meeting of the General Directors’ Immigration Services Conference (GDISC), organised by the Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration of the Interior Ministry, was held in Naples from 23rd to 25th June.
In her welcome address Mrs Angela Pria, Head of Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration, stressed that «at a crucial turning point in the European evolution» like the present one marked by the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty which confers the whole competence in the areas of immigration and asylum upon the European Union, «practical activities carried out through co-operation between Member States’ relevant services are instrumental in facing immigration challenge, as a global phenomenon».
«This cooperation - she said - help Member States develop their own capacity and enable them to share best practices so that they can be implemented in homogeneous contexts».
«There is a need for available European resources to be used in favour of initiatives bringing real benefits to Member States - Mrs Pria explained - which are often unable to take them for lack of domestic resources».
«Within this framework, I think that our organisation - she added - can and must play a role. On the one hand, a mutual cooperation role in dealing with issues we are daily confronted with and, on the other hand, a role in identifying new paths to be followed. A path along which we should move alongside the Commission, in a position of mutual support».
«Actions in the area of integration should be developed as part of the activities falling within the responsibility of our network - Mrs Pria suggested - with a view to identifying common practices and procedures to be implemented when dealing with situations which deserve special attention, such as those involving unaccompanied minors and vulnerable categories in general».
Programme agenda
Agenda items included the approval of GDISC’s future action plan, thematic workshops on migration policies and integration. Discussions were also dedicated to the activity carried out by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) which has been recently set up.
The meeting was chaired by the prefect Angela Pria, Head of Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration, and Mrs Lin Homer, Chief Executive of UK Border Agency.
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