WRITTEN QUESTION E-2654/99

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Prevention of infectious diseases among immigrants

At the Sixth International Workshop on Culture, Health and Immigration, held in Rome, the latest statistics from the preventative medicine section for migration, tourism and tropical dermatology of the San Gallicano Institute in Italy were issued. These show that among immigrants living in Italy infectious diseases have increased from 7 % to 11 %.

Of the pathologies found among immigrants the increase in infectious diseases is particularly worrying, notably viral hepatitis A, B and C, AIDS and cases of leprosy, which had previously been fairly rare.

In the light of the above:

1. Does the Commission not think it would be possible to finance ad hoc structures with the aim of carrying out health checks at the larger border crossings, in view of the growing influx of immigrants from outside the Community into the EU Member States?

2. Has the Commission undertaken or is it planning any initiatives designed to prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases among non-Community nationals in the European Union countries and their possible spread to the European population?

3. Does it intend to set up specific measures to guarantee the immigrant population access to national health services?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(27 March 2000)

The Commission recalls that the special meeting of the European Council held at Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999 declared that the European Union must ensure fair treatment of third-country nationals who reside legally on the territory of its Member States. A more vigorous integration policy should aim at granting them rights and obligations comparable to those of EU citizens. It should also enhance non-discrimination in economic, social and cultural life and develop measures against racism and xenophobia.(1)

The Commission would point out that when referring to third-country nationals one should bear in mind that immigrants do not constitute a homogeneous group. There are differences in their legal status, length of stay in the Union and country of origin and in their economic and social situation. Any bundling together of immigrants as a group at risk from the spread infectious diseases must be firmly rejected.

During the year the Commission plans to present a report on the health of immigrants. This will be one of the reports prepared on the state of health in the Community and relating either to the health of the population as a whole or to that of specific sections of the population. The aim of the report will be to identify general trends in the health of non-Community nationals resident in the Member States.

At present health checks on third-country immigrants legally entering the Member States are governed by national legislation. The Commission does not envisage financing ad hoc arrangements for health checks at border crossings.

Regarding access to national health services, the Commission would point out that it put forward a proposal for a Regulation(2) to extend to third-country nationals Council Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 of 14 June 1971 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons and their families moving within the Community(3). The aim of the proposal was to ensure that, like Community nationals, third-country nationals legally resident in the Union and covered by the social security scheme of a Member State would not lose their entitlement when they moved within the Union and that they should also be covered by the Community rules on the coordination of social security schemes with specific provision for health and maternity benefits.

The Commission would also call the Honourable Member's attention to its proposal for a Council Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin(4). Under this measure no direct or indirect discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin could be applied by the Member States in any field, including social protection and social security. This proposal comes under the general framework of implementing Article 13 (formerly Article 6a) of the EC Treaty and is currently under discussion in the Council and Parliament.

(1) Point 18 of the Conclusions of the European Council.

(2) OJ C 6, 10.1.1998.

(3) OJ L 149, 5.7.1971.

(4) COM(1999) 566 final.