Madam, – I must take issue with comments made by Tony Bunyan of Statewatch and reported by your legal affairs correspondent (“EU security plans threaten freedom”, says rights expert, June 22nd).
Mr Bunyan’s unfounded assertion seems to rely on his reading of the report of a group of EU ministers (known as the “future group”) which produced suggestions in 2007-8 for the EU’s next five-ear programme in justice and home affairs.
In fact, that contribution and many others from Governments and non-governmental organisations have now led to an official communication from the European Commission, which will be the subject of further debate in which all are welcome to participate before the programme is finalised, not in the shadows, but by our democratically elected leaders, in all likelihood at the European Council meeting in December.
The main issues centre on how the EU can help its countries work together for justice, freedom and security. There is nothing about “one card for everything” or any other such Orwellian fantasies.
As for “controversial measures including techniques and technologies of surveillance and enhanced co-operation with the United States”, yes, in today’s world EU countries need to work together on border management and police co-operation using modern methods and, yes, better co-operation with the US (and others) is necessary if we are to deal effectively with international crime, trafficking and terrorism.
We must remember at all times we are doing this to protect law-abiding citizens so that they can exercise their fundamental human rights in their daily lives in a European space of freedom, justice and security. – Yours, etc,