WRITTEN QUESTION P-1391/00

by Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council

(3 May 2000)

Subject: Immigration policy

Illegal immigration to Europe is increasingly taking the form of slave-trafficking, devaluing human dignity and often costing lives.

Does the European Union bear any responsibility for this? As an area which receives immigrants, should the European Union not develop a common immigration policy establishing clear and mutually acceptable relations with the immigrants' countries of origin, which will combat illegality and trafficking in human beings, as well as illegal employment in the European Union? Will the countries applying for membership participate in the process of drawing up and implementing these policies?

Reply

(29 September 2000)

The Council fully shares the view expressed by the Honourable Member with regard to illegal immigration and its consequences.

In December 1998, the Council set up the High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration with a view to developing a cross-pillar, integrated approach in order to address the root causes of migration and flight. The High Level Working Group was tasked with drawing up Action Plans for certain source countries of asylum seekers and/or illegal migration. Action Plans for five countries (Afghanistan and the region, Iraq, Morocco, Somalia and Sri Lanka) were adopted by the Council in October last year and endorsed by Heads of State at the Tampere European Council.

The implementation of those Action Plans is currently under consideration by the High Level Working Group which is called upon to address a report on such implementation to the European Council in December 2000. It is clear that the Action Plans can not be imposed on the countries concerned, but must be implemented in close cooperation with the authorities of those countries. The Tampere European Council clearly recognised the need for a comprehensive approach to migration. In point 11 of the conclusions of that Council such an approach should address political, human rights and development issues in countries and regions of origin and transit. This requires combating poverty, improving living conditions and job opportunities, preventing conflicts and consolidating democratic states and ensuring respect for human rights, in particular rights of minorities, women and children. To that end, the Union as well as Member States are invited to contribute, within their respective competence under the Treaties, to a greater coherence of internal and external policies of the Union. Partnership with third countries concerned will also be a key element for the success of such a policy, with a view to promoting co-development.

With regard to combating illegality and trafficking in human beings and illegal employment, these subjects are at the forefront of the discussions not only at EU level within CIREFI, which incidentally meets once per semester with representatives from the EU accession candidates countries, but also in a wider context. Furthermore, it is worth pointing out EUROPOL's role in combating organised illegal immigration. The Community and the Member States are currently participating actively in negotiations within the United Nations on the establishment of an international convention against transnational organised crime. The draft convention contains inter alia two protocols relating to measures to combat the smuggling of migrants by land, air and sea on the one hand and to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children on the other. The convention is expected to be completed and signed by the end of 2000.