20. Draws attention to serious deficiencies in the functioning of the witness protection programme regarding cases of war crimes, which have resulted in a number of witnesses voluntarily opting out of the programme after being systematically intimidated; calls on the Interior Ministry and the War Crimes Prosecutor's Office to engage actively in efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of all witnesses participating in the protection programme; underlines that a functional witness protection programme is of the utmost importance f ...[+++]or the rule of law in the country as well as to demonstrate the political will to deal effectively with war crimes cases left to national judiciaries by the ICTY;

18. Draws attention to serious deficiencies in the functioning of the witness protection programme regarding cases of war crimes, which have resulted in a number of witnesses voluntarily opting out of the programme after being systematically intimidated; calls on the Interior Ministry and the War Crimes Prosecutor’s Office to engage actively in efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of all witnesses participating in the protection programme; underlines that a functional witness protection programme is of the utmost importance f ...[+++]or the rule of law in the country as well as to demonstrate the political will to deal effectively with war crimes cases left to national judiciaries by the ICTY;

11. The Council stresses the importance of offering durable protection solutions to those in need of international protection present in the countries of the Southern Neighbourhood, and, in this respect, calls on the Commission and the Council’s preparatory bodies to examine the possibility of assisting those countries in capacity building in the area of international protection, including by activating existing regional protection programmes, and assessing the ...[+++]need for additional programmes in the region.

41. Emphasises the need to accompany these emergency visas with measures of temporary protection and shelter in Europe for human rights defenders, possibly providing for financial resources and housing to shelter human rights defenders, as well as accompanying programmes (human rights activities, lecturing in European universities, language courses, etc.); welcomes the Shelter Cities initiative promoted by the Czech Presidency as well as the Protection and Shelter Programme implemented by the Spanish Government since 2008, and calls ...[+++]on the VP/HR within the EEAS to finalise a European Protection and Shelter programme by the end of 2010 to be implemented in 2011 while not, however, taking responsibility away from other cities; therefore invites the High Representative to present to the European Parliament a manual on how to set up a shelter city as well as a framework proposal supporting networking between such cities; calls for further support to other existing initiatives in this regard;

Partnership with the third countries concerned was designated as a key element for the success of such a policy, recalls the Council Conclusions on the Communication of the Commission on Integrating migration issues into the European Union’s relations with third countries of May 2003, which emphasise that migration policy is a strategic priority for the European Union and invites the Commission, inter alia, to develop concrete proposals to make additional funding available for assistance for refugees in the region and for reducing poverty in host communities, recalls the European Council Conclusions of Thessaloniki of 19/20 June 2003 which invited the Commission to explore all parameters in order to ensure more orderly and managed entry in ...[+++]the EU of persons in need of international protection, and to examine ways and means to enhance the protection capacity of regions of origin with a view to presenting to the Council, before June 2004, a comprehensive report suggesting measures to be taken, including legal implications, recalls the Council Conclusions On the managed entry in the EU of persons in need of international protection and enhancement of the protection capacity of regions of origin 'improving access to durable solutions', of 2 November 2004, in which the Council invited the Commission to present an action plan for one or more Regional Protection Programmes to the Council by July 2005 which should be situation specific, protection oriented and complementary to the further development of a Common European Asylum System, recalls the Hague Programme of 4 and 5 November 2004, which welcomed the Commission's Communication on "improving access to durable solutions" and invited the Commission to develop EU Regional Protection Programmes in partnership with third countries concerned and in close consultation and co-operation with the UNHCR and that these programmes should be built on the experience gained in pilot protection programmes to be launched before the end ...

Partnership with the third countries concerned was designated as a key element for the success of such a policy, recalls the Council Conclusions on the Communication of the Commission on Integrating migration issues into the European Union’s relations with third countries of May 2003, which emphasise that migration policy is a strategic priority for the European Union and invites the Commission, inter alia, to develop concrete proposals to make additional funding available for assistance for refugees in the region and for reducing poverty in host communities, recalls the European Council Conclusions of Thessaloniki of 19/20 June 2003 which invited the Commission to explore all parameters in order to ensure more orderly and managed entry in ...[+++]the EU of persons in need of international protection, and to examine ways and means to enhance the protection capacity of regions of origin with a view to presenting to the Council, before June 2004, a comprehensive report suggesting measures to be taken, including legal implications, recalls the Council Conclusions On the managed entry in the EU of persons in need of international protection and enhancement of the protection capacity of regions of origin 'improving access to durable solutions', of 2 November 2004, in which the Council invited the Commission to present an action plan for one or more Regional Protection Programmes to the Council by July 2005 which should be situation specific, protection oriented and complementary to the further development of a Common European Asylum System, recalls the Hague Programme of 4 and 5 November 2004, which welcomed the Commission's Communication on "improving access to durable solutions" and invited the Commission to develop EU Regional Protection Programmes in partnership with third countries concerned and in close consultation and co-operation with the UNHCR and that these programmes should be built on the experience gained in pilot protection programmes to be launched before the end ...