WRITTEN QUESTION P-2812/00

by Vincenzo Lavarra (PSE) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Illegal immigration along the coasts of the Adriatic and Ionian seas

In view of the increasing numbers of illegal immigrants arriving by sea along the Italian coast, particularly in Apulia and Calabria, the possibility of disastrous consequences which this may have for the forces of order as well as for the immigrants themselves (such as in the recent case which occurred in the Otranto Channel), the problems which an uncontrolled flow of illegal immigrants could cause with regard to the safety of the general public, the fact that, on 16 March 2000, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the EU to take appropriate action in order to combat this form of illegal immigration and the fact that, at the Conference on Safety in the Adriatic and the Ionian, which was held in Ancona in May 2000, the Commission undertook to take similar action,

would the Commission say:

1. what urgent practical measures have been drawn up and are to be implemented with a view to achieving the stated objectives (in particular, measures relating to coordination between the EU's police forces and judiciaries and those of the Balkan countries from which the illegal immigrants originate)?

2. in what terms it intends to link development cooperation with those countries to their commitment to cooperation in the fight against crime?

3. whether or not it considers that authorities in Member States such as Greece, or in applicant states such as Turkey, are tending to relax the border control system and thereby failing to comply with the obligations stemming from bilateral agreements with Italy and the undertakings made at the Ancona conference as regards permanent liaison between the police chiefs of the Adriatic and Ionian countries? What action does the Commission therefore intend to take in order to increase the level of commitment to combating illegal immigration at source?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(6 October 2000)

The Commission is fully aware of the problems caused by trafficking of human beings across the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Albania is one of the most important routes of illegal or illicit entry from the Balkans into the Union. In response to the current situation, the Council adopted in July 2000 an action plan for Albania and the neighbouring region elaborated by the cross-pillar high level working group on asylum and migration. The action plan identifies a number of inter-related measures to be taken in the areas of external relations, development policy and justice and home affairs, to counter trafficking in human beings.

Funding for these actions come from Member States and existing Community budget lines. As of 2001, there will be a specific budget line on co-operation with third countries in the area of asylum and immigration. Currently, the aid granted by the Community to Albania mainly focuses on institution building (including customs, police, judiciary and public administration reform) and infrastructure development (roads, water, sanitation). Budgetary assistance is being provided in line with specific sector related conditions or as in 1999 in order to cover costs related to the Kosovo crisis, during which Albania, the poorest country in Europe, hosted temporarily 500,000 Kosovars, more than 8 % of their population.

Illegal immigration is also addressed by the Commission in its contacts with the Turkish authorities with a view to defining adequate measures of co-operation. A fact-finding mission at the level of experts, in which representatives of Member States participated, took place in September 2000.

As the countries along the coast of the Adriatic and Ionian seas often are merely the transiting countries, it should here be mentioned that similar to the action plan on Albania mentioned above, action plans have been adopted for Iraq and Sri Lanka, these being the principal nationalities subjected to the trafficking in question.

Chinese nationals should also be mentioned. As a follow-up of the meeting between the Chinese Prime Minister and the Commission President, the Commission is now preparing a series of initiatives aimed at preventing and combating illegal migration from China. These initiatives will be discussed with Member States in view of the Community-Chinese summit in Beijing in October 2000.

The fight against organised crime in general and trafficking of human beings in particular is being addressed in the framework of different regional initiatives such as the stability pact for South Eastern Europe and the Adriatic initiative, based on the Ancona Declaration of 20 May 2000.

The stability pact has recently released a blueprint for development of asylum and migration systems for South Eastern Europe which will be discussed at the next session of the working table III meeting in Sophia on 4 and 5 October 2000.

The Commission is involved in the process of co-operation within the framework established by the conference on development and security in the Adriatic and Ionian in Ancona on 19-20 May 2000. A Commission representative took active part recently at the extraordinary meeting in Rome on 10 August 2000 organised by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs within the framework of the Ancona declaration process. At this meeting acknowledgement was given to the wide range of activities performed by Member States and countries in the region and it was decided to set up a co-operation system between a network of operational officials of Ancona declaration signatory countries. With the aid of all participants, this process seems to be bearing fruit.

Concerning linking development co-operation with the performance on fight against crime in this area, it is true that the principle of conditionality has its importance. This is especially true concerning the implementation of the general framework agreement for peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the approach of the stability pact for South Eastern Europe vis-à-vis the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It is however often noted that conditionality is a tool that should only be used on a case by case basis where it can be foreseen to be effective. For example, halting the support to reconstruction efforts in Albania would scarcely improve the possibilities for the authorities there to perform.