23.12.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 343/1 | (Legislative acts) DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2011/98/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 13 December 2011 on a single application procedure for a single permit for third-country nationals to reside and work in the territory of a Member State and on a common set of rights for third-country workers legally residing in a Member State THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular points (a) and (b) of Article 79(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and nationals who are legally residing in the territory of the Member States and that a more vigorous integration policy should aim to grant them rights and obligations comparable to those of citizens of the Union. The European Council accordingly asked the Council to adopt the legal instruments on the basis of Commission proposals. The need for achieving the objectives defined at Tampere was reaffirmed by the Stockholm Programme, which was adopted by the European Council at its meeting of 10 and 11 December 2009. (3)  Provisions for a single application procedure leading to a Social Committee ('), combined title encompassing both residence and work permits within a single administrative act will contribute to simplifying and harmonising the rules currently Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the applicable in Member States. Such procedural simplifi- Regions (%), cation has already been introduced by several Member States and has made for a more efficient procedure both for the migrants and for their employers, and has Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (%), allowed easier controls of the legality of their residence and employment. Whereas: 4)  In order to allow initial entry into their territory, Member States should be able to issue a single permit or, if the (1) For the gradl.lal .establishment of an area of .fre.edom, issue single permits only after en%ry,pa Visa. i\/[embe)rl security and justice, the Treaty on the Functioning of States should issue such single permits or visas in a the European Union (TFEU) provides for measures to timel X ) JOT e y manner. be adopted in the fields of asylum, immigration and protection of the rights of third-country nationals. (5) A set of rules governing the procedure for examination (2)  The European Council, at its special meeting in Tampere of the application for a single permit should be laid on 15 and 16 October 1999, acknowledged the need for down. That procedure should be effective and harmonisation of national law governing the conditions manageable, taking account of the normal workload of for admission and residence of third-country nationals. In the Member States’ administrations, as well as transparent this context, it stated in particular that the European and fair, in order to offer appropriate legal certainty to Union should ensure fair treatment of third-country those concerned. () O] C 27, 3.2.2009, p. 114. () O] € 257, 9.10.2008, p. 20. (6)  The provisions of this Directive should be without (’) Position of the European Parliament of 24 March 2011 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and position of the Council at first reading of 24 November 2011 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Position of the European Parliament of 13 December 2011 (not yet published in the Official Journal). prejudice to the competence of the Member States to regulate the admission, including the volumes of admission, of third-country nationals for the purpose of work.