Mr President, although what I have to say is not quite as exciting as what we have just discussed – at first sight, that is – I must say as a former UK immigration minister, that one of the most difficult processes in the immigration system arises when you have to remove a person who has gone through all the legal processes and no longer has a legal right to remain, or has not provided a legal reason to remain in a Member State and has to be returned to the place from whence they came. This is of course a difficult decision for everybody involved in the handling of the matter: it is difficult for the officials, it is difficult for the Ministers themselves; but it has to be done in a way which is both humane and also effective. Up to now there have been considerable problems in achieving this, where the travelling arrangements require assistance to be afforded by moving those particular persons by air and transiting them through other European countries on the way back to where they have to go. Because of a lack of coordination or cooperation, it has often meant much more suffering for the people concerned; it has also meant that this operation has not always been carried out in a successful manner. Therefore this German initiative, one for which I am very pleased to be the rapporteur, is aimed at trying to bring this matter effectively and efficiently to a conclusion. What we are really looking for here is that the persons concerned should be afforded the necessary support, if required, in terms of sustenance, in terms of medical assistance, should that be necessary when they transit through airports on their way to their destination. But in particular, we need also to make sure that the airlines carrying them are aware of what they are carrying and the situation during the procedures. That has not always been the case in the past, and this report should assist in achieving that end. Similarly it is important that the documents sent with the persons concerned are treated in a proper manner during the process of transit. That is not by any means the case at the present time. This is something we also wish to see as a result of this work. The difficulty has consistently been that it has always been someone else's responsibility to see that these matters occur in the proper way. Officials have experienced frustration and difficulty over this not only in Britain, but indeed in most of the EU Member States. I know that this is a measure that will be greeted with considerable support and enthusiasm by those who will see that at last we are beginning to realise that we have to get together in order to achieve ends such as this. This does not in any way affect the individual Member States' procedures, nor is it a measure which tries to be ambitious and look again at the whole issue of asylum procedures as such, or indeed asylum criteria. That would indeed be ambitious, and it is not something that I aim to pursue. It is purely a simple and very practical measure which will bring about the result which has to occur from time to time once the proper legal processes have been exhausted. In conclusion, I am proud to be the rapporteur of this report because it is a clear demonstration that regardless of our political views on Europe and its future role, there are many areas like this where we can work together in a way which makes a practical difference to many people – both those who are dependent on our care and those who have to implement our rules and regulations. For that reason, apart from any other, I am pleased with this report and I hope that it is supported in the House tomorrow.

Political group: PPE-DE