Fix It First: A Human Rights Agenda for Extending E.U. Asylum and Migration Policy

Statement of Elizabeth Andersen, Human Rights Watch, on the Occasion of the CEPS/ERA/Sitra/Transcrime Conference: "Extending the Area of Freedom, Justice and Security through Enlargement: Challenges for the European Union"

Effectively implementing Tampere's promise of an area of freedom, security, and justice-and making that promise a reality for the
candidate countries scheduled to join the European Union (E.U.) in 2004-is certainly a major challenge for the E.U. It was telling
that at the Seville European Council meeting in June, the top agenda items were "illegal immigration" and "enlargement," but
there was very little discussion regarding the connection between the two issues and what specific challenges the interface
between them might present. I'm very pleased to be participating in efforts here today to fill that gap.