WRITTEN QUESTION P-0291/03

by Giuseppe Pisicchio (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 February 2003)

Subject: Illegal immigration

Knowing that:

- a few days ago yet another illegal-immigration tragedy occurred off the Apulian coast, with a heavy loss of life;

- the geography and the pattern of this new form of slavery are now all too well known: the practice is as lucrative as smuggling and it feeds an appalling trade in human beings who leave North Africa and the Middle East in order to cross the coasts of the northern Mediterranean (in particular those of Apulia, Sicily and Calabria) in search of illusory freedom and well-being in Europe;

- an awareness of, and the relative predictability of, such illegal transport operations and the routes they follow have not so far prompted the EU institutions to take appropriate preventive action. Hence the burden of dealing with the matter and with the social, economic and legal implications thereof falls entirely on the regions on whose coasts illegal immigrants come ashore;

- it should once again be pointed out that the matter is to be regarded as one of relevance to the EU as a whole and not just to the areas targeted by illegal immigrants as their point of entry into the EU.

In the light of the above facts, what action is the Commission planning to take in order to deal with the issue? Is the Commissioner responsible not intending to arrange continuous coordination within the Commission amongst the relevant authorities of the countries most affected by the arrival of illegal immigrants, with a view to devising a more effective containment strategy?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(27 February 2003)

As already emphasised in the Commission's reply to the Written Question E-3112/02 by Mr Tannock(1), illegal immigration by sea gets serious and continuous attention within the Commission.

The Council presented a comprehensive plan to combat illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings in the Union on 28 February 2002(2) (Santiago Action Plan) and a comprehensive plan for the integrated management of the external borders of the Member States on 13 June 2002(3), which are based on the Commission's Communications on the respective subjects. The proper implementation of measures on this matter as identified in these plans is of major importance to this problem. Consequently, the Commission welcomes the recently started joint operations and activities of the Member States in the Mediterranean region.

Within this context, one joint operation led by Spain, aiming to control and reduce illegal immigration by sea towards the coasts of the northern Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, has been launched at the end of January 2003 (operation Ulysses). Along the same lines, one joint operation led by Greece, aiming to contribute in the tackling of illegal migration in the Mediterranean, will be conducted in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Greek EU Presidency (operation Triton).

Illegal immigration by sea will continue to be a subject of major interest for the Commission. As requested by the Santiago Action Plan the Commission has launched a feasibility study on control of maritime borders, which will also elaborate on legal issues, with a view to fighting illegal immigration by sea, taking into account the diversity of maritime borders in the Union and the various problems facing the Member States. The results of this study can be expected around the middle of 2003.

In order to improve the co-ordination of Member States the Commission convened expert meetings on illegal immigration by sea on 21 May 2002 and 27 September 2002 that aimed to identify operational actions to prevent and combat illegal immigration in the Mediterranean region. During these meetings the co-operation with third Countries was considered to be the most efficient and successful approach in tackling the problem of illegal immigration by sea and preventing further human tragedies. This process of information exchange and co-ordination will be continued in the year 2003. Moreover, the Directorate General Justice and Home Affairs pursues its co-ordination within the Commission concerning all dimensions of the important fight against illegal immigration and the ruthless criminal networks involved.

(1) OJ C 155 E, 3.7.2003, p. 92.

(2) http://www.eu-oplysningen.dk/upload/application/467e5cc2/08475en2.pdf.

(3) http://europa.eu.int/abc/doc/off/bull/en/200206/i1011.htm.