EU continues to build a “fortress Europe�

[Conghaileach]

wsws.org
6 January 2005

European Union continues to build a “fortress Europe”
By Richard Tyler

Towards the end of 2004, the European Union (EU) agreed further measures strengthening “fortress Europe”. At a meeting in Luxemburg, ministers from the 25 EU member states established the basis for a common asylum system, an EU border guard, the inclusion of biometric data in passports and visas and the wider sharing of information by national police forces and security services.

The measures are contained in the Hague Programme, a five-year plan “for the field of freedom, justice and security.”

In a classic example of doublespeak, the EU claims this further crackdown on asylum seekers and attack on democratic rights represents “the improvement of the common capability of the Union and its Member States to guarantee fundamental rights, minimum procedural safeguards and the access to justice...”

In reality, the “fundamental rights” being guaranteed are those of the EU authorities and the various member states to repel those deemed to be “illegal immigrants”, and to collect as much personal information as they can about their citizens. “Access to justice” means that express asylum proceedings are to be swiftly followed by deportation.

Full Story (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jan2005/asyl-j06.shtml)

[Anarchist Freedom]

If I remember correctly The netherlands deported some 5,000 arabs....

[Cal]

This is also the EU that is expanding and admitting many new members, and soon will hopefully include Turkey.

[Polish Prince]

i doubt that turkey will be in th Eu any time soon as well as other european nations, first they have to deal with th enewly joined nations

[Sovietsky Souyuz]

Also recently, most european nations have downsized their armed forces, apparently a measure decided without public vote, to bring them in-line with some silly european army. This whole idea of 'Fortress europe' disgusts me. The various peoples of old europe dont go well together, hence why they spent most of history killing each other.

And turkeys inclusion is almost certain, hence why so much has been said in UK political circles about a new influx of asylum seekers/economic migrants whatever you call them.

After they destroyed their own economies with the 'euro', the nations of the brussels alliance thing basically want to challenge america on the world stage. I Hope the really influtential nations like Britain and Russia and the Italians never submit to such sillyness. We dont need another war on european soil.