WRITTEN QUESTION E-1108/96 by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Council (8 May 1996)

Subject: Border checks on journalists

On Monday, 15 April Mr Marcel Schreinemaekers, a journalist with Radio Limburg (Maastricht), was stopped at the border between Luxembourg and France. He was travelling to Strasbourg to attend Parliament's part-session at the invitation of DG III's office in The Hague. The check included a request to surrender his press card to the border guards. Mr Schreinemaekers complied with this request, albeit reluctantly.

Does the Council agree that the policy on inviting and accrediting representatives of the media wishing to attend part-sessions of the European Parliament in Strasbourg is a matter solely and exclusively for the European Parliament and the parliamentary services designated for this purpose?

Does the Council share my view that France, as the host country of the European Parliament, should keep border checks to a minimum, assuming that there is still any need for them, i.e. a check on passports or identity cards?

Does the Council agree that additional checks on representatives of the press who say that they are travelling to Strasbourg for professional reasons reflects badly on the image of the host country?

Does the Council not agree that irritating incidents such as this which continue to surround part-sessions of the European Parliament in Strasbourg will drastically reduce Parliament's willingness to meet there?

Is the Council prepared to point out to the competent French authorities that hindrances such as those described above should be kept to an absolute minimum, and can it inform me of its findings in this respect?

Reply (7 August 1996)

1. The Council shares the Honourable Member's view that the European Parliament is solely responsible, as regards its own sessions, for inviting and accrediting journalists who wish to attend.

2. However, the question of border checks on journalists who are citizens of the Union is principally a matter for the Member States and, where the application of Community law is involved, for the Commission. The relevant Directives currently include Council Directives 68/360/EEC and 73/148/EEC ((OJ L 257, 19.10.1968, p.13 and OJ L 172, 28.6.1973, p.14, respectively. )), Article 3(1) of whjich state that: "Member States shall grant to the persons referred to [employed persons, self-employed persons and recipients of services and members of their families] ...the right to enter their territory merely on production of a valid identity card or passport" subject to limitations on grounds of public policy, public security or public health ((Ibidem, Articles 10 and 8 respectively. See also Council Directive 64/221/EEC (OJ of 4.4.1964, p.850) Article 48(3), Article 56(1) and Article 66 of the EC Treaty. )).

It is for the Commission, in accordance with Article 155 of the EC Treaty, to ensure that Community law is applied. It is therefore not for the Council to comment on the circumstances described in the Honourable Member's question nor to make representations to the competent authorities of the Member State concerned.

3. The Council would finally point out that, in accordance with the decision taken by common agreement of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States in Edinburgh on 12 December 1992, the European Parliament is required to hold the twelve monthly plenary sessions, including the budget session, at its seat in Strasbourg.