Official Journal of the European Union 6.8.2004 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 29 April 2004 on the organisation of joint flights for removals from the territory of two or more Member States, of third-country nationals who are subjects of individual removal orders (2004/573EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Com- munity, and in particular Article 63(3)(b) thereof, Having regard to the initiative of the Italian Republic (%), Whereas: (1) The comprehensive plan to combat illegal immigration and trafficking of human beings in the European Union (%), approved by the Council on 28 February 2002, which built upon the Communication of 15 November 2001 from the Commission to the Council and to the European Parliament on a common policy on illegal immigration states that readmission and return policy is an integral and vital component of the fight against illegal immigration. To that end, the Comprehensive Plan emphasises the necessity of highlighting a number of practical measures, including the establishment of a joint approach and cooperation between Member States with regard to the implementation of return measures. Common standards should therefore be adopted for return procedures. The plan for the management of the external borders of the European Union, approved by the Council on 13 June 2002, which built upon the Communication of 7 May 2002 from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament ‘Towards integrated manage- ment of the external borders of the Member States of the European Union’, provides for rational repatriation operations as one of the measures and actions for the integrated management of the external borders of the Member States of the European Union. The Return Action Programme, approved by the Council on 28 November 2002, which built upon the Commis- sion Green Paper of 10 April 2002 on a Community () 0] C 223, 19.9.2003, p. 3. () O] C 142, 14.6.2002, p. 23. return policy on illegal residents, as well as on the Communication of 14 October 2002 from the Commis- sion to the European Parliament and to the Council on a Community return policy on illegal residents recom- mends, as one of the measures and actions with regard to improved operational cooperation among Member States, that the return of third-country nationals illegally resident in a Member State should be made as efficient as possible by sharing existing capacities for organising joint flights. It is important to avoid a vacuum of the Community in the field of the organisation of joint flights. As from 1 May 2004 the Council can no longer act on an initiative of a Member State. The Council has exhausted all the possibilities to obtain in time the opinion of the European Parliament. Under these exceptional circumstances the Decision should be adopted without the opinion of the European Parliament. Member States are to implement this Decision with due respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in particular for the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 4 November 1950, the United Nations Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of 10 December 1984, the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951 and the New York Protocol thereto of 31 January 1967, relating to the status of refugees, the Convention on the rights of the child of 20 November 1989, and the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union of 18 December 2000 (). () 0] C 364, 18.12.2000, p. 1.