The Council for "Justice and Home Affairs" generally meets every two months with the presence of the Ministers of Justice and Internal Administration, with the aim of promoting the development and implementation of the cooperation and common policies in these areas. The presidencies also organise an informal ministerial meeting (during the Portuguese Presidency it will be held on 1 and 2 October, in Lisbon). Click here to know more about this meeting.

This Council's main objective is the creation, maintenance and development of an area of freedom, security and justice, where the free movement of people is assured, together with adequate measures in matters such as control of external borders, asylum and immigration, as well as preventing and fighting against criminal offences.


- Priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union in the area of Justice
- Priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union in the area of Home Affairs
- Programme of the Trio of German, Portuguese and Slovenian Presidency in the area of Justice

Other information:

- The European area of Freedom, Security and Justice
- Living Europe Safely - Joint statement by the interior ministers of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia at the end of the first stage of the trio presidency
- Letter to european citizens
- Information on SIS one 4All (pdf)
- See also the presentation of the Priorities of the Portuguese Presidency for home affairs - Minister for Home Affairs' press conference (2007-06-30) (format wmv - in Portuguese)
- Yes to a real European Space of Justice - The Ministers of Justice from Portugal, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Slovenia, in a joint article published in the newspapers "Expresso", "Le Figaro", "El País", "Corriere de la Sera" and "Die Zeit", defend greater cooperation in the fight against international crime