The Hague programme – Strengthening freedom, security and justice in the European Union. On 5 November 2004, the European Council (Heads of State and government of the member states of the European Union) adopted a new comprehensive programme for 2005-2009 on strengthening freedom, security and justice in the EU (The Hague programme).
Five years earlier, in October 1999, the European Council met in Tampere, Finland, to adopt the first programme for the years 1999-2004. The aim of what became known as the “Tampere programme” was to translate the Justice and Home Affairs provisions contained in the Treaty of Amsterdam, which came into force on 1 May 1999, into a list of concrete, legislative measures. Since then two treaties have been signed. The Nice Treaty, which came into force on 1 February 2004, and the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe, which was signed in Rome on 29 October 2004 and is now undergoing a ratification process in every EU member state.
The Hague programme takes into account the recent treaty developments and presents a number of measures in all fields of freedom, security and justice, including citizenship of the union, asylum and migration, integration, management of migration flows, police- and judicial co-operation, terrorism, crime prevention and judicial co-operation in civil matters. Before the summer, the Commission will present an action plan on how to make the Hague programme a reality.
Many of the proposals in the Hague programme are likely to concern Norway. This is a result of our participation in the Schengen co-operation, but also because Norway is part of the internal market through the European Economic Area (EEA-agreement).
http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/04/st16/st16054.en04.pdf