On Tuesday, 02/02/2016, the EC College meeting took place in Strasbourg. The College adopted an Action Plan to strengthen the fight against terrorism financing. The recent terrorist attacks in the European Union and beyond demonstrate the need for a strong coordinated European response to combatting terrorism. Furthermore the College adopted today a Schengen Relation Report on Greece and a proposal for a council recommendation of addressing the deficiencies on Greece's borders. The state of play on Portugal's draft budgetary plan was also discussed.

Strasbourg

meeting

Schengen (T2)

fight against terrorism (T)

economic situation in Portugal (T)

DOMBROVSKIS, Valdis (EPP, LV, EC)

Extracts from the Read-out of the College meeting by Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Vice-President of the EC in charge of the Euro and Social Dialogue

Arrival of Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President of the EC in charge of the Euro and Social Dialogue

SOUNDBITE by Valdis Dombrovskis (in ENGLISH): We have proposed an Action Plan which is both ambitious and focuses on these areas where the EU can be most effective in tackling terrorism financing while setting out action on three priorities; preventing and tracking financial movements potentially linked to terrorism financing, disrupting the sources of terrorist revenue and encouraging international cooperation.

SOUNDBITE by Valdis Dombrovskis (in ENGLISH): The College of Commissioners has today adopted the Schengen relation report on Greece and a proposal for a council recommendation of addressing the deficiencies on Greece's borders. The recommendations focus on the need to improve registration procedures including ensuring a sufficient number of staff and fingerprint scanners for registration and verification of migrants. Also their travel documents must be registered and verified against the Schengen information system, Interpol and national security databases. The recommendations call on Greece to establish effective coastal surveillance system covering the whole sea border between Greece system covering the whole sea border between Greece and Turkey.

SOUNDBITE by Valdis Dombrovskis (in ENGLISH): The College also discussed the state of play on Portugal's draft budgetary plan. Last week we have sent a letter to Portugal asking for additional information. There have been very intensive exchanges with the Portuguese authorities. Nevertheless so far we have not made enough progress towards complying with the requirements of the stability and growth pact so the work will continue extensively during the next few days.

SOUNDBITE by Valdis Dombrovskis (in ENGLISH): We are currently in discussions with the Portuguese authorities and they have come up with some proposals to bring Portugal close to the compliance with the Stability and Growth Pact and further away from particularly serious noncompliance but additional effort is needed.