Behind Closed Doors

Home Office Ministers hold regular meetings with ministers of the interior of the other five largest EU States. The last such meeting was in Heiligendamm in March 2006 and covered topics such as their joint response to terrorism, illegal immigration and organised crime. Decisions were reached, which if taken forward, would significantly change current EU thinking and declared Government policy. Yet little information was released about the meeting and the Home Office issued no press notice. This report looks at the outcomes of the meeting and in particular the implications of the proposals for data sharing. The Committee is concerned that the ministers want to press forward with the principle of availability and disregard issues of data protection. They are worried about the erosion of civil rights.