WRITTEN QUESTION E-0622/99

by María Izquierdo Rojo (PSE) to the Commission

(12 March 1999)

Subject: Disrespect and ill-treatment suffered by Moroccan musicians applying for visas

The members of one of the most famous music groups in Morocco, The Master Musicians of Jajouka, based in the Rif, told an audience of more than 2 000 people at the Granada Congress Centre of the "ill-treatment and humiliation" they had suffered in applying for an EU visa.

In justifying this unwarranted disrespect and ill-treatment, Spanish consular officials in Tetouan have alleged that visa formalities must be followed because Spain forms part of the Schengen area.

This is just one of many instances, some of them borne out by my own personal experience, which prove that such humiliating treatment is too frequent an occurrence to warrant describing the above case as isolated. It was these considerations which prompted a previous question a year and a half ago, condemning this situation and warning that "Moroccan citizens - professional people, teachers, doctors, distinguished writers, artists, etc. - are often subject to contemptuous and humiliating treatment when they apply for visas for temporary visits to the European Union" [Question No 2 (H-0686/97)](1). In its reply, however, the Council rejected this charge and stated explicitly that it had "no knowledge of the visa-issuing practices referred to by the Honourable Member, which might give rise to numerous protests and merit being described as dysfunction".

Given the resumption of such incidents, and pending a response to this serious problem, which has been condemned repeatedly, what coordinated measures will the European Union be taking to avoid a future repetition of instances such as the one above?

Answer by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 1999)

At the time of the events mentioned by the honourable Member the requirements concerning the issue of visas were not yet governed by Community law.

Following the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty:

- firstly, the Schengen acquis which includes provisions harmonising the requirements and procedures for issuing visas is integrated into the framework of the Union; henceforth, the institutions of the Union are required to perform their functions in the light of the this Schengen acquis which is integrated into the framework of the Union;

- unlike the previous situation whereby only two aspects of visa policy were the responsibility of the Community (see ex Article 100c of the EC Treaty: the list of third countries whose nationals must be in possession of a visa when crossing the external borders of the Community and the uniform format for visas), the entire visa policy, including the requirements and procedures for issuing visas, now comes within the scope of the Community; proposals on this matter will be drawn up in the light of the timetable indicated in Article 62 of the EC Treaty (ex Article 73j) and the action plan adopted by the Vienna European Council on how best to implement the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty on establishing an area of freedom, security and justice.

(1) Debates of the European Parliament, No 4-507, October 1997.