WRITTEN QUESTION P-0726/01

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 March 2001)

Subject: The spread of immigration in Europe

It is obvious that virtually all the governments of the European Union are now struggling with the problem of immigration into Europe. I would cite merely the 910 Kurds who arrived by boat barely a week ago on the Côte d'Azur, the hundreds of immigrants found, yet again, on the beaches of Southern Spain in the last few days, and the shipload of immigrants who besieged the Belgian coast and threw the Belgian Government into crisis.

Given the need to develop a global policy for immigration into Europe, what proposals in this area does the Commission intend to make at the forthcoming Stockholm European Summit on 23 and 24 March? How does the Commission assess the possibilities for harmonising the rules on asylum in the Member States, following the studies which have been carried out? At the forthcoming Stockholm Summit, how does it intend to tackle the issue of much-needed measures to combat the traffic in human beings carried out by Mafia networks throughout Europe?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(10 April 2001)

The Commission believes that it is essential to develop policies at the Union level to deal with issues of illegal immigration in the light of the competence provided by Article 63, 3(b) (ex Article 73K) of the EC Treaty. Although no binding Community rules have yet been adopted, Member States are obliged to fulfil the requirements of the Schengen acquis in so far as they are applicable in the respective State. However, the Commission considers it important to initiate new measures at Union level. Accordingly, in December 2000, the Commission adopted a Communication on combating trafficking in human beings and combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography(1) which includes a proposal for a Council framework decision on combating trafficking in human beings. In addition the Commission will present to the Council and the Parliament a communication on a common fight against illegal immigration. This communication will outline which future measures and forms of co-operation are necessary.

The European Council, which met in Stockholm on 23-24 March 2001, recognised the progress being made in the implementation of the Lisbon strategy for the economic and social development of Europe and agreed on new priorities for action. One of the elements in this strategy is the admission of

economic migrants to meet skills shortages which cannot be met, in the short term at least, from the existing labour force. This is in line with the Commission's proposals for developing a global migration policy which are described in more detail in its Communication on a Community Immigration Policy(2). This Communication was presented at the same time as a separate Communication setting out different options for a common asylum procedure and a uniform status for those granted asylum, with the objective of establishing a common European asylum system in the long term(3). With these Communications, the Commission has launched a debate on the way to develop the common policy in these areas, which was agreed at the European Council in Tampere in October 1999.

S'agissant de l'harmonisation du droit d'asile entre les Etats membres à court terme, la Commission rappelle que sur la base du traité CE, des conclusions de Tampere d'octobre 1999 et du tableau de bord sur les progrès réalisés pour la mise en oeuvre de l'Espace de Liberté, Sécurité et Justice, elle a fait des propositions législatives sur Eurodac (empreintes digitales des demandeurs d'asile, Règlement adopté en décembre 2000)(4), un Fonds européen pour les Réfugiés (décision adoptée en septembre 2000)(5), sur la protection temporaire en cas d'afflux massif de personnes déplacées (proposition de directive du 24 mai 2000)(6), sur les normes minimales concernant la procédure d'octroi et de retrait du statut de réfugié dans les Etats membres (proposition de directive du 20 septembre 2000)(7). La Commission fera dans les tous prochains mois et avant la fin 2001 des propositions législatives sur les conditions d'accueil des demandeurs d'asile, la responsabilité de l'examen des demandes d'asile (instrument successeur à la Convention de Dublin), sur le rapprochement des règles sur la reconnaissance et le contenu du statut de réfugié ainsi que sur des formes de protection subsidiaires offrant un statut approprié à toute personne nécessitant une telle protection.

(1) COM(2000) 854 final.

(2) COM(2000) 757.

(3) COM(2000) 755.

(4) OJ L 316, 15.12.2000.

(5) OJ L 252, 6.10.2000.

(6) OJ C 311 E, 31.10.2000.

(7) COM(2000) 578 final.