WRITTEN QUESTION E-0049/03

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council

(21 January 2003)

Subject: Financial Assistance to Belarus and the Ukraine as part of an effort to limit illegal migration flows through those countries to the European Union

Large numbers of illegal migrants are currently detained on the territories of Belarus and the Ukraine, having attempted to use those countries as a gateway to the European Union.

It is clearly in the interests of the European Union, political differences regarding their internal affairs notwithstanding, to cooperate with these countries in order to stabilise and subsequently reduce the flow of illegal immigrants passing through their territories. What plans are there for the European Union to provide additional financial and technical assistance designed to achieve this objective? In particular, there have been requests from the governments for funds to improve surveillance and monitoring of their Eastern border areas with the Russian Federation, to pay for temporary housing of these migrants in detention camps and to pay for the cost of eventual repatriation to their countries of origin. From 1 May 2004, these two neighbouring states are set to share large common borders with the EU and the Schengen area.

Does the Council accept that these migratory flows constitute a major burden to the national budgets of these two states which, if not checked, could result in a major additional flow of illegal migrants to the EU, and that there is, therefore, a strong common interest in assisting these countries in their efforts to solve their problems in this area?

Reply

(8 May 2003)

Combating illegal migration is an issue of mutual concern to both the European Union and Belarus and Ukraine. The Council shares the view of the Honourable Member that it is in the interests of both parties to seek a solution to the problems of illegal migration.

In the case of Ukraine, instruments to enhance mutual cooperation in the area of Justice and Home Affairs have been put in place. The Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs of Ukraine and of the EU Troika

met for the first time in Brussels on 11 November 2002. An EU Action Plan on Justice and Home Affairs was adopted jointly by the EU and Ukraine in December 2001. Readmission and migration were among the priorities established by the Ministers.

The plan sets out, inter alia, the following cooperation objectives:

- Rendering expert legal assistance to the Ukrainian authorities in drafting or amending its current legislation on foreigners, asylum, immigration and refugees;

- Supporting the efficient management of migration flows, also by rendering consultative, financial and expert assistance in the establishment of the State Migration Service of Ukraine and promotion of its activities, in particular to increase the professional level of relevant staff through the study of foreign experience and internships in relevant services of EU countries dealing with modern migration policy;

- Assessing the scale of illegal migration via Ukraine and monitoring of migratory movements and examination of possible participation of Ukraine in a system of early prevention of illegal migration;

- Improving cooperation regarding the readmission of own nationals, persons without nationality and third country nationals, with a view to concluding a readmission agreement between Ukraine and the European Community. The EU also encourages all countries in the region to conclude readmission agreements between themselves.

A scoreboard set up in consultation with Ukraine makes it possible to monitor the implementation of measures aimed at achieving these objectives.

Under the TACIS Regional Cooperation Programme, Belarus receives funding for the justice and home affairs sector. Projects to strengthen asylum and border management and to combat drug trafficking and trafficking in women are being implemented. These initiatives aim to support the creation of the European Union's area of freedom, security and justice the territory of Belarus is used by criminal organisations active in drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings and smuggling of illegal migrants by reinforcing the future EU's external borders. Since the EU is already cooperating very closely with Ukraine on justice and home affairs issues, criminal organisations will most probably circumvent Ukraine by using Belarus' territory more intensively, with negative consequences for the EU, unless support measures are implemented. All such projects are therefore clearly in the interests of the EU.

The Council is convinced that management of migration questions can be improved and that appropriate measures can be taken in the areas of border management, readmission and visas, with a view to preventing the territories of Ukraine and Belarus from being used increasingly for the purposes of illegal immigration and as transit countries for illegal immigrants intending to enter the European Union.