Council Decision of 13 June 2002 adopting an action programme for administrative cooperation in the fields of external borders, visas, asylum and immigration (ARGO programme) (2002/463/EC)

CHAPTER II U.K. ACTIVITIES COVERED BY ARGO

Article 4 U.K. Activities in the area of external borders

In order to achieve the objectives set out in Article 3, the ARGO programme shall support the activities of the Member States in the area of external borders intended:

(a)

to ensure that Member States carry out border controls in compliance with the common principles and implementing rules laid down by Community legislation;

(b)

to provide an equivalent level of effective protection and surveillance at external borders;

(c)

to reinforce the effectiveness of controls at border crossing points and surveillance between crossing points.

Article 5 U.K. Activities in the area of visas

In order to achieve the objectives set out in Article 3, the ARGO programme shall support the activities of the Member States in the area of visas intended:

(a)

to ensure that Member States issue visas in compliance with the common principles and implementing rules laid down by Community legislation;

(b)

to promote an equivalent level of control and security when issuing visas;

(c)

to promote harmonisation in the examination of visa applications and in particular supporting documents regarding purpose of journey, means of subsistence and accommodation;

(d)

to promote harmonisation of exceptions applied by Member States to certain categories of applicants for visas to facilitate controls at the external borders and freedom of movement between Member States;

(e)

generally to enhance consular cooperation between Member States.

Article 6 U.K. Activities in the area of asylum

In order to achieve the objectives set out in Article 3, the ARGO programme shall support the activities of the Member States in the area of asylum intended:

(a)

to promote the establishment and operation of the common European asylum system by supporting measures and standards leading to a common asylum procedure and a uniform status for those granted asylum valid throughout the Community;

(b)

to facilitate the determination of the State responsible for examining an asylum application;

(c)

to support the approximation of rules on the recognition and content of refugee status, complemented with measures on subsidiary forms of protection offering an appropriate status to any person in need of such protection;

(d)

to reinforce the efficiency and fairness of asylum procedure and to increase convergence in decisions dealing with asylum applications;

(e)

to develop resettlement and entry facilities, and legal means for admission into Member States on humanitarian grounds.

Article 7 U.K. Activities in the area of immigration

In order to achieve the objectives set out in Article 3, the ARGO programme shall support the activities of the Member States in the area of immigration intended:

(a)

to ensure that Member States issue residence and work permits in compliance with the common principles and implementing rules laid down by Community legislation;

(b)

to promote the knowledge of the rules of residence and work permits for third-country nationals;

(c)

to encourage verification of the effects and the perception of Community immigration policy in migrants' countries of origin;

(d)

to ensure effective, efficient and homogeneous application of the relevant common rules and policies in relation to irregular migratory flows and illegal immigration while safeguarding a sufficient level of access to international protection;

(e)

to enhance cooperation in the field of the return of nationals of third countries and stateless persons without residence permits and refused asylum applicants, including transit through other Member States and third countries;

(f)

to strengthen the fight against illegal immigration networks and prevention of illegal flows of immigrants.

Article 8 U.K. Types of actions

With a view to pursuing the objectives set out in Article 3 and the activities laid down in Articles 4, 5, 6 or 7, the ARGO programme may support the following types of actions:

(a)

training actions including, in particular, the elaboration of harmonised curricula and common core-training programmes to be organised by national agencies and complementary actions aimed at making national agencies receptive to the best working methods and techniques developed in other Member States;

(b)

staff exchange ensuring that seconded staff participate effectively in the work of the host national agencies;

(c)

actions promoting, on the one hand, the use of computerised handling of files and procedures, including use of the most up-to-date techniques for electronic data exchange and, on the other hand, the collection, analysis, distribution and exploitation of information making the fullest use of information technology, in particular, the establishment of information points and websites;

(d)

evaluation of the impact of common rules and procedures based on Articles 62 and 63 of the Treaty;

(e)

actions intended to promote the development of best practices with a view to improving working methods and equipment, simplifying procedures and shortening deadlines;

(f)

operational activities which might include the setting up of common operative centres and of teams composed of staff drawn from two or more Member States;

(g)

studies, research, conferences and seminars involving staff of the Member States and the Commission and, where appropriate, staff of the relevant national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations;

(h)

mechanisms for consulting and associating the relevant national and international governmental and non-governmental organisations;

(i)

Member States' activities in third countries, in particular fact-finding missions in countries of origin and transit;

(j)

the fight against document fraud.

Article 9 U.K. Specific actions

Other modalities of cooperation between national agencies in the policy areas covered by Articles 62 and 63 of the Treaty, in particular urgent joint operations and actions with a limited scope and duration arising from situations which require an immediate reaction, may be included in the framework of the ARGO programme. The annual work programme referred to in Article 12 shall set out a framework for the financing of these specific actions including objectives and evaluation criteria.