WRITTEN QUESTION P-0820/02

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(18 March 2002)

Subject: Shipwrecked illegal immigrants: request to set up a crisis unit

Yet another vessel carrying non-Community nationals has been shipwrecked in the Sicilan Channel, causing fifty deaths. This kind of accident is occurring more and more frequently.

The measures so far taken by individual European states of the Mediterranean area have proved inadequate in tackling such a serious problem.

Would the Commission agree to set up a crisis unit with representatives of the Member States and Mediterranean countries with a view to the adoption of a common strategy to put an end to this long series of tragic accidents which has led to the deaths of hundreds of people, including many women and children?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 2002)

The tragic event referred to by the Honourable Member and very recently the arrival of the ship Monica in the port of Catania are just two examples of a wider phenomenon of the arrival of vessels of all kinds and sizes with illegal immigrants on the coasts of Member States. Irregular migrants face various dangers, including being smuggled by ruthless criminal networks and dangers of unsafe passage. As recently mentioned in the reply to written question P-2079/01 by the Honourable Member(1), this is an issue of major concern for the Commission and it demonstrates how important it is for the Union to develop policies for the prevention of and the fight against illegal immigration and in particular against irregular maritime arrivals.

Various initiatives have been taken recently. In June 2001 the Council reached a political agreement on a Directive defining the facilitation of unauthorised entry, movement and stay and an accompanying Framework Decision on the strengthening of the penal framework to prevent the facilitation of unauthorised entry and residence. The Council also adopted Directive 2001/51/EC of 28 June 2001 supplementing the provisions of Article 26 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985(2) in order to further define the obligations of carriers. In December 2000, the Commission adopted a Communication on combating trafficking in human beings and combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography(3). This includes a proposal for a Council framework decision on combating trafficking in human beings.

An overall Union policy framework to address illegal migration was published on 28 February 2002 when the Council adopted a comprehensive plan to combat illegal immigration and trafficking of human beings. This action plan, largely based on the Communication on a Common Policy on Illegal Immigration adopted by the Commission on 15 November 2001(4), presents a comprehensive set of measures in the areas of visas, legislation, readmission and return policy. The action plan outlines concrete initiatives to improve practical co-operation between the government departments responsible for such matters. Specific attention will be paid to improving sea border controls. As a direct follow-up, a future Commission's Communication on an integrated border management will propose a set of measures to enhance co-operation of Member States' border guard authorities where the surveillance of maritime borders will receive special attention.

(1) OJ C 40 E, 14.2.2002.

(2) OJ L 187, 10.7.2001.

(3) COM(2000) 854 final.

(4) COM(2001) 672 final.