Socialist & Democrats Group Spokesperson and Member of the Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs Committee

I am the Group Spokesperson for the Socialists & Democrats on Civil Liberties. As a member of the same parliamentary committee and with a human rights background I work on positive solutions to key issues like drugs policy in the UK & EU, asylum and immigration, and I've written widely on the rise of the far right in Europe.

Every month I produce a brief report on the work of the Committee which you can find on the 'European Parliament' page of this website or by following this link 'Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs Committee'

The Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs Committee is known in the European Parliament by its French abbreviation 'Libe'. The Committee is responsible for:

1) The protection within the EU of citizens' rights, human rights and fundamental rights, including the protection of minorities.

2) Measures needed to combat all forms of discrimination except on gender and employment (other committees are responsible for combating discrimination in these areas).

3) The protection of European citizens and their personal data and the transparency of EU institutions.

4) The establishment and development of an area of freedom, security and justice, in particularl

a) Measures concerning the entry and movement of persons, asylum and migration
b) Measures concerning an integrated management of the EUs common external borders
c) Measures relating to police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters

5) The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Europol, Eurojust, Cepol, and other bodies and agencies in the same area.

6) The determination of a clear risk of a serious breach by a Member State of the principles common to EU members.