Iceland is also associated with the Dublin Convention on justice and home affairs cooperation.

In addition, we have also agreed to convert the Dublin convention into a Dublin directive.

In addition I would like to stress that there are several paragraphs in the Dublin convention which require implementation.

The Union has confirmed its attachment to the Geneva and Dublin Conventions by establishing the anti-deportation principle.

Nevertheless, it points out some important issues and that is why we do need to reform the Dublin Convention and we need to improve it.

With regard to the readmission clauses, the Union reaffirmed its commitment to the Geneva and Dublin Conventions at the Tampere Summit.

We can already see the unreasonable effects of the Dublin Convention when the principle of the first asylum country is applied to countries which have different criteria for granting asylum.

Using the principle of non-refoulement, it is right that the Dublin convention should not be applied where there is a risk of individuals being returned to a situation where they face persecution.

Furthermore, certain of the amendments would fit better into your resolutions on the communitarisation of the Dublin Convention and on the definition of refugees to which I drew your attention just now.

When we discuss the Eurodac Convention, we must do so in the light of the Dublin Convention, because that is where we find the criteria for which Member State is responsible for the examination of an application for asylum.

I take this opportunity to assure Mrs Terrón i Cusí that illegal immigrants' fingerprints are only used for the specific purpose of the Dublin Convention - which means for analysis - if they have requested a demand for asylum in another Member State.