Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, I would like to thank you for being in the European Parliament today to discuss issues which do not only have a large human component, but which also have a very high profile in the media and in politics; immigration and asylum. I will refer firstly to immigration. It is a good thing that it is said and repeated time and time again in this House that regulated migratory flows make a very positive contribution to the development of the receiving country, the situation of immigrants themselves and even the development of the country of origin. But it should also be repeated that the unrestricted arrival of persons in an illegal manner leads to a saturation of the structures of our societies and ends up exceeding those societies’ capacity for reception, resulting in situations of inequality and marginalisation. We therefore need a coherent European policy which takes account of all the elements inherent to the phenomenon of migration. The European Councils in Tampere, Laeken and Seville have represented a significant advance in the field of immigration. Nevertheless, not without reason, many people have criticised the lack of agreement in non-repressive fields, as my colleague and predecessor, Mr Watson, has said; it is true that, on the basis of such tragic events as those which take place on an almost daily basis in the waters of the Straits of Gibraltar, or on Italian coasts, vigilance, border control and the fight against mafias and exploiters of illegal workers, can and must be the response to the concerns of the citizens, who are increasingly sensitive to issues such as insecurity and human trafficking. Nevertheless, I would like to stress the importance of other aspects still awaiting substantial progress. Firstly, the intensification and reconsideration of the policy of development aid in order to generate, in the countries of origin, a dignified and promising environment and thereby prevent the exodus of people – the majority of whom are young – who, rather than fleeing towards the unknown, risking their lives, could and should play an essential role in the development of their own countries. Secondly, to begin work on the implementation of an observatory, which at the moment is virtual, for migration, which by means of analysis and distribution of information, would allow us to deal with the phenomenon of immigration on the basis of true facts, which are reliable and comparable between Member States, as the Commissioner has just acknowledged. Thirdly, promoting the integration of legal immigrants, one of the keys to the success of any immigration policy, by means of measures which include family reunification, the education of children, non-discrimination, access to housing, facilities for the learning of the language of the reception country, or social or health measures. Now, in order to prevent clashes with the receiving society, and as was acknowledged at the fourth Mediterranean forum in Bari, held on 17 and 18 June, it is necessary not to forget the twin aspects of the phenomenon, that is, the need to also work to ensure the respect on the part of the immigrants for the principles and values of the society receiving them. Finally, cooperation with countries of origin and transit in a spirit of partnership and co-responsibility, as agreed at the aforementioned forum, on the control of migratory flows, the fight against illegal immigration, the adoption of national readmission agreements and integrated management of the Union’s borders. This is a task which, in order to be successful, must be carried out in close cooperation with the third countries bordering the European Union. And to move on to the field of asylum, Mr President, I would like to stress the importance of, and respect for, the Geneva Convention, regulating, in a complementary manner, other necessary forms of international protection for those cases included in it. However, I regret once again to have to make a criticism, as I did when we discussed the directive, for which I was rapporteur, in relation to the conditions for receiving and asylum because, in practice, the negotiations on the different aspects of the asylum policy are still being carried out in a confused and disorganised fashion. There is a saying: ‘do not bite off more than you can chew’; and I have the feeling that this is the current situation in the field of asylum. It is also incongruous to discuss proposals which, in their provisions, depend on concepts regulated by others, the negotiations of which should have been concluded earlier, but which instead are making no progress. I would therefore appeal to you to rationalise the European process, and let us not get tied up in vicious circles which are highly influenced by national interests. Finally, Mr President, last but not least, I would like to draw the attention of the Commission and the Council to the fact that, with the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice, scheduled for 1 February, the Parliament-Council codecision procedure, and the qualified majority, will be applicable in such sensitive areas as all those which relate to the minimum standards regulating the different aspects of the procedures, requirements and conditions for asylum.

Political group: PPE-DE