Agreement was reached on the Reception Conditions Directive, one of the four legislative acts that need to be adopted in order to complete the second phase of the Common European Asylum System by the end of 2012.

The act aims to provide for more harmonised and higher standards for the reception of asylum seekers among EU member states while at the same time preventing abuse and avoiding unnecessary administrative burden.

The agreement, which will be formalised with the exchange of letters between the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and the Presidency and then it will be officially adopted by the EP plenary, is expected to give positive impetus for the conclusion of the remaining legislative acts which are currently being negotiated.