WRITTEN QUESTION E-2526/01

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE)and Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 September 2001)

Subject: Verification and existence of data on naturalisation and acquisition of Greek citizenship

According to the answer given by Commissioner Vitorino to question E-1438/01(1) on migratory flows to Greece, the Greek authorities reported a total of 22 078 immigrants in 1997 and 12 630 in 1998, and the acquisition of Greek citizenship by 930 persons in 1997 and 807 in 1998, but there were no figures for 1999 or 2000. These figures do not tally with those reported by the Greek Ministry of the Interior, which refers to completing repatriation procedures for 135 000 Greek descendants from the former Soviet Union who have acquired Greek citizenship.

The new framework for immigration policy in Greece is based on Law 2790/2000 on the rehabilitation of repatriated persons of Greek descent from the former Soviet Union, which provides for fast-track procedures for acquiring Greek citizenship, and Law 2910/2001, which lays down the conditions for the entry and residence of aliens on Greek territory and the acquisition of Greek citizenship through naturalisation.

1. What is the exact number of repatriated persons of Greek descent from the former Soviet Union who have acquired Greek citizenship? How many of those acquired citizenship through naturalisation in the period 1993-2001 and what is the total number of immigrants in Greece at the present time?

2. What steps has the Commission taken given that the Greek Government has not provided any figures for the period 1999-2000 and the fact that the number of naturalisations does not match the corresponding number of Greek descendants and immigrants who have entered the country?

3. What measures will the Commission take to publish complete and reliable figures for immigration and asylum so that Community immigration policy can be promoted in the Member States?

4. What measures will the Commission take to maintain the transparency of the figures for illegal immigration and illegal entry, and to enforce EU rules on the reception of immigrants in Greece on the basis of Schengen?

(1) OJ C 350 E, 11.12.2001, p. 154.

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(12 November 2001)

1. On the basis of statistics reported by Greece to the Commission, a total of 5897 persons acquired Greek citizenship in the period 1993-1998. Insufficient data are available to the Commission to estimate how many of these persons were from the former Soviet Union. The Commission does not collect information on the reasons for which these persons were granted Greek citizenship.

Concerning the total number of immigrants in Greece for 1997, the latest year for which data are available, approximately 161 000 persons resident in Greece did not have Greek nationality.

2. The Commission will send out the questionnaire to request migration data for the reference period of 2000 in November 2001. Greece has reported to the Commission that technical and data problems have prevented the supply of migration data for the reference period 1999. The Commission will continue to work closely with the National Statistical Service of Greece to maximise the availabilty of statistical information.

Acquisition of citizenship is a different process to migration. Persons acquiring citizenship are often those who migrated, or whose ancestors migrated, a number of years previously. A difference between the number of migrants (of Greek or non-Greek descent) and the number acquiring citizenship in any particular period is therefore to be expected.

3. The Communications on a Community immigration policy(1) and a common asylum procedure and a uniform status, valid throughout the Union, for persons granted asylum(2) emphasise that more information is needed about migration flows and patterns of migration into and out the Union. In May 2001 the Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted Conclusions on statistics that lay down the principles and objectives for future work to improve the exchange of statistics on asylum and migration and a common analysis. The Conclusions inter alia provide that relevant Community statistics should be made publicly available and an annual public report, including an analysis of trends and indicators, be drawn up. The Conclusions invite the Commission to submit a proposal for a comprehensive and coherent framework for future action. Moreover, the Commisssion is going to set up a European Migration Virtual Observatory, that is a virtual network consisting of a network of national points connected with each other and linked with a main website, which will collect data on migration.

4. The Commission has regularly collected data from Member States on asylum and illegal migration but so far Member States have been reluctant to allow some of these data to be made widely available. Community statistics are in the public domain, except for statistical data which allows individuals to be identified, either directly or indirectly, thereby disclosing information about identifiable individuals. While the Council Conclusions of May 2001 underline that the approach to statistics in the field of asylum and migration should follow these rules, they also recognise that due consideration shall have to be given to demonstrable sensitivity concerns. The Commission is currently consulting Member States to assess to what extent data on illegal immigration and entry will have to be considered as such and would remain subject to restrictions on publication.

As regards the measures to enforce rules on the basis of the Union/Schengen acquis it has to be stated that the Greek authorities are responsible to ensure compliance with the existing common rules, in particular on visa issuance and border management. Nevertheless, the Commission understands that proper enforcement of existing rules is a principal requirement not only for safeguarding the common external borders, but also for the consideration of the further development of the common immigration policy, in particular relating to the fight against illegal immigration. It is, therefore, necessary to reflect on future monitoring efforts, e.g. by joint screenings of consular posts or the external border. This issue will be inter alia addressed in the Communication on a Common Endeavour Preventing and Fighting Against Illegal Immigration, which will be released by the Commission in the near future.

(1) COM(2001) 387 final.

(2) COM(2000) 755 final.