19.6.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L161/11 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COUNCIL COUNCIL DECISION of 13 June 2002 adopting an action programme for administrative cooperation in the fields of external borders, visas, asylum and immigration (ARGO programme) (2002/463[EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, and in particular Article 66 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Com- mittee, Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions, Whereas: 1 4 Administrative cooperation between the Member States in the areas covered by Articles 62 and 63 of the Treaty is part of the Community’s objective of progressively es- tablishing an area of freedom, security and justice. Joint Action 98/244[JHA of 19 March 1998 adopted by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on the European Union, introducing a programme of train- ing, exchanges and cooperation in the field of asylum, immigration and crossing of external borders (Odysseus programme) () has come to an end now that the budget allocation has been exhausted in 2001. Responsibility for controls at the EU’s external borders will become all the more important now that a signifi- cant enlargement of the Union is scheduled to take place during the period in which the administrative coopera- tion in the fields of external borders, visas, asylum and immigration (ARGO) will be operational. Accordingly, ARGO should be seen simply as a modest forerunner of more extensive activities in this field. In accordance with the conclusions of the European Council in Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999, the () O] C 25 E, 29.1.2002, p. 526. (*) Opinion delivered on 9 April 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJL 99, 31.3.1998, p. 2. Commission has defined in its communication to the Council and the European Parliament on the biannual update of the scoreboard to review progress on the crea- tion of an area of freedom, security and justice in the European Union (first half of 2001) an ambitious legisla- tive programme that should lead to a new body of Com- munity rules in the area of justice and home affairs that will have to be implemented by the Member States. Uniformity between the practices of the Member States when applying Community law can be obtained by strengthening cooperation and collaboration among their national agencies, and between them and the Com- mission. Individual action by each administration is incapable of achieving such results. A Community framework is therefore necessary for improving mutual understanding between the competent national agencies and the way they implement the relevant Community legislation, and for defining the priority areas of administrative coopera- tion required. A high level of training of equivalent quality throughout the Community is needed to guarantee the success of this action programme, taking advantage of the experi- ence gained with the Odysseus programme. The implementation of a Community action programme constitutes one of the most effective ways of achieving these objectives and will provide a basis to the Commis- sion for assessing whether establishing a common train- ing institution would be a suitable way of improving the training in Community law given to the staff of the Member States.