Werkbezoek aan de Verenigde Staten door Tsjechische minister van Binnenlandse Zaken en de vice- president van de Europese Commissie (en)

Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer and Vice-President of the European Commission Jacques Barrot visited the USA on 16 – 17 March 2009.

During their visit they met US Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security Joe Lieberman and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg. They also met with other White House officials and members of the House of Representatives.

“The objective of our visit to the USA is particularly exchange and acquisition of information. We have focused primarily on the issue of visa policy, international child protection, the fight against illegal Internet content, transatlantic cooperation and mutual legal aid. This trip is an opportunity to become acquainted with the new US Administration. We would like to determine how Europe can be helpful to the USA and vice versa, what the USA can do for Europe in the area of internal security,” stated Interior Minister Ivan Langer.

Topics on the agenda:

Visa Waiver Programme

The delegations exchanged opinions on the possibility of further inclusion of the remaining EU Member States in the Visa Waiver Programme. On behalf of the EU, a request for securing full reciprocity was raised.

Prospects of the transatlantic relations in the area of justice, law and security

The commencement of the new administration in the USA is an opportunity for reflection, an opportunity for a new relationship with old friends. Our cooperation could also be intensified or, as the case may be, extended to other areas. In the future the following issues will be on the agenda in the context of relations with the USA: data protection, Visa Waiver Programme, acquisition of full visa reciprocity, fight against terrorism, cyber-crime, judicial cooperation and the fight against illegal Internet content. The talks on cooperation with the USA in the area of child protection will continue.

Justice and police cooperation in the fight against terrorism and organised crime

Computer crime:

‘Child protection and the fight against illegal Internet content is one of our priorities. We would like to contribute to the improvement of international child protection, particularly in the area of the fight against child pornography’, added Ivan Langer.

We have informed on the issue of the fight against abuse of the Internet for propagation (recruitment) of extremism and terrorism. We plan to organise an expert EU-USA seminar on this issue. We will focus on sharing experiences, research, know-how and practical cooperation. The Presidency also mentioned the forthcoming ministerial meeting on ‘Safer Internet’ in the context of child protection to be held in April.

Guantánamo

Working meetings on the issue of Guantánamo served only an informative purpose: ‘Our role as the country holding the Presidency is to negotiate a possible pan-European approach. It is within the competence of each Member State to decide if it accepts persons from Guantánamo or not,’ stated the Interior Minister.

Contact: Markéta Matlochová, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of the Interior Tel.: +420 974 832 972-4, GSM.: +420 603 191 750, E-mail: matlochova@mvcr.cz