WRITTEN QUESTION E-1273/01

by Jorge Hernández Mollar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(2 May 2001)

Subject: Pan-European immigration plan

It is plainly evident that there is a need for common legal provisions to deal with the growing influx of migrants to Europe so as to establish a balanced joint policy on migration.

Among the possible measures, consideration ought to be given to each Member State giving prior notification to Brussels of their estimated annual intake of immigrants, including specific data regarding total numbers, professional qualifications and intended occupation. This way, the Commission could draw up a general plan for the intake of immigrants.

Given that some Member State governments have already entered into bilateral agreements with certain third countries in this area, to what extent does the Commission feel that it could still promote a joint agreement to draw up a common plan for the intake of immigrants to rationalise the flux of immigrants entering all the Member States of the Union, making sure that the Union's needs in this respect are provided for while avoiding uncontrolled immigration?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 2001)

In its Communication on a Community Immigration Policy(1) of 22 November 2000, the Commission set out its ideas for a new and comprehensive approach to the management of migration flows and in particular for the development of a common policy on immigration. At the heart of this policy will be a common legislative framework, the basis of which has already been agreed by the Member States (Article 63 (ex Article 73k) of the EC Treaty). According to the detailed programme established during the European Council in Tampere on 15/16 October 1999, and set out in the Scoreboard to review progress on the creation of an area of Freedom, Security and Justice in the European Union(2), the Commission has already made proposals in a number of areas which provide the first elements of this framework. Member States will be responsible for the implementation of these legal instruments and for putting in place national legislation as necessary. In order to ensure coherence, the Commission has also adopted proposals for an open method of coordination for the Community Immigration Policy(3).

In the field of legal immigration, a number of proposals are being prepared by the Commission on the admission of third country nationals including a draft Council Directive on admission for economic purposes which was adopted by the Commission on 12 July 2001(4). The intention is to provide for common conditions for the admission and residence of workers from third countries

which will inter alia concern the establishment of horizontal assessment programmes, conditions applicable to residence permits issued under the directive and other matters. As part of the coordination procedure it is intended that Member States should provide information to the Commission on migrants admitted which may include data on total numbers, occupations and professional qualifications. Thus Member States, when admitting third country nationals for the purpose of employment, will have to respect the criteria laid down in the directive once it is in force.

In this way a general overview of migration policy and practice will be developed which will provide the basis for the identification of common problems and solutions at European level where appropriate.

(1) COM(2000) 757 final.

(2) See biannual update COM(2000) 782 final and COM(2001) 278 final.

(3) COM(2001) 387 final.

(4) Proposal for a directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of paid employment and self-employed economic activities (COM(2001) 386).