Opinjoni tal-Kumitat Ekonomiku u Soċjali Ewropew dwar “L-immigrazzjoni irregolari bil-baħar fir-reġjun Ewro-Mediterranju” (Opinjoni fuq inizjattiva proprja)

2014/C 67/07

Relatur: is-Sur GKOFAS

Korelatur: is-Sur MALLIA

Fis-17 ta' Settembru 2012, il-Kumitat Ekonomiku u Soċjali Ewropew iddeċieda, b’konformità mal-Artikolu 29(2) tar-Regoli ta’ Proċedura tiegħu, li jħejji Opinjoni fuq inizjattiva proprja dwar

L-immigrazzjoni irregolari bil-baħar fir-reġjun Ewro-Mediterranju.

Is-Sezzjoni Speċjalizzata għar-Relazzjonijiet Esterni, inkarigata sabiex tipprepara l-ħidma tal-Kumitat dwar is-suġġett, adottat l-Opinjoni tagħha nhar il-25 ta' Settembru 2013.

Matul l-493 sessjoni plenarja tiegħu li saret fis-16 u s-17 ta' Ottubru 2013 (seduta tas-16 ta' Ottubru), il-Kumitat Ekonomiku u Soċjali Ewropew adotta din l-Opinjoni b'183 vot favur, 3 voti kontra u 11-il astensjoni.

1. Konklużjonijiet u rakkomandazzjonijiet

2. Introduzzjoni

3. Analiżi tal-problema

3.1 Id-drittijiet tal-bniedem

3.2 Salvataġġ tal-persuni mill-baħar

3.3 Żbark

3.4 Id-dritt għall-asil u l-għoti tiegħu

3.5 Rimpatriju tal-immigranti irregolari

3.6 Politika Ewropea komprensiva dwar l-immigrazzjoni irregolari bbażata fuq "is-solidarjetà"

3.7 It-tfassil ta' ftehimiet ma' pajjiżi terzi li għandhom fruntiera mal-UE

3.8 L-Aġenzija Ewropea għall-Fruntieri Esterni - Frontex

3.9 EASO

3.10 Il-prevenzjoni tal-kuntrabandu uman u l-kriminalità organizzata u l-ġlieda kontrihom

L-immigrazzjoni irregolari bil-baħar hija perikoluża u tpoġġi ħajjet in-nies fil-periklu. Eluf ta' persuni tilfu ħajjithom filwaqt li qasmu l-Mediterran fuq bastimenti li ma kinux tajbin għall-baħar. Il-vjaġġi perikolużi huma organizzati miċ-ċrieki ta' kriminali li jdeffsu mijiet ta' persuni (fosthom nisa u tfal), mingħajr tagħmir u provvisti adegwati (l-anqas tagħmir għas-salvataġġ tal-ħajja), f'dgħajjes, li ħafna minnhom mhumiex tajbin għall-baħar. Ir-riżoluzzjoni li għaddiet mill-Assemblea Parlamentari tal-Kunsill tal-Ewropa (Riżoluzzjoni 1872(2012)) bit-titlu "Lives lost in the Mediterranean Sea – Who is responsible?" [Ħajjiet mitlufin fil-Baħar Mediterran – Min hu responsabbli?] tiddeskrivi r-rwol li għandhom it-traffikanti tal-migranti fl-organizzazzjoni ta' vjaġġi perikolużi fil-Mediterran b'mod iddettaljat ħafna u għandha titqies għall-iskop li tinftihem il-gravità tal-kwistjoni.

3.11 Finanzi

(1) COM(2011) 248, is-Sur Pariza Castaños,

COM(2011) 743, is-Sur Pariza Castaños, is-Sinjura King,

COM(2011) 750,751,752,753, is-Sur Pariza Castaños,

COM(2008) 359, is-Sur Pariza Castaños, is-Sinjura Bontea.

(2) Direttiva 2008/115/KE.

(3) Pereżempju l-Artikolu 12(1) u 12(2), 13(1) u 13(2), 13(3) u 13(4), 14(1) u 14(2) tad-Direttiva.

(4) Ara l-Opinjoni tal-KESE tat-12.3.2008 dwar il-“Green Paper dwar is-Sistema ta’ Ażil Komuni Ewropea tal-ġejjieni” (relatur: is-Sinjura Le Nouail Marlière, ĠU C 204, 9.8.2008, p. 77-84.

(5) Ara l-Opinjonijiet tal-KESE:

(6) Ara l-Opinjoni tal-KESE tat-12.3.2008 dwar il-“Green Paper dwar is-Sistema ta’ Ażil Komuni Ewropea tal-ġejjieni” (relatur: is-Sinjura Le Nouail Marlière, ĠU C 204, 9.8.2008, p. 77-84.

(7) B'kooperazzjoni mal-Organizzazzjoni Internazzjonali għall-Migrazzjoni.

(8) Twenty Guidelines on Forced Return, CM(2005)40 [Għoxrin linja gwida dwar ir-ritorn sfurzat].

(9) EUREMA huwa proġett pilota tal-UE għar-rilokazzjoni tal-benefiċċjarji tal-ħarsien internazzjonali minn Malta, approvat mill-Konklużjonijiet tal-Kunsill Ewropew tat-18 u d-19 ta' Ġunju 2009 (dok. 11225/2/09 CONCL 2).

(10) Ara t-tabelli hawn taħt.

(11) COM(2011) 751 final.

(12) COM(2011) 750 final; COM(2011) 753 final.

(13) COM (2011) 752 final.

Appendiċi

YEAR Irregular immigrants arrested for irregular entry and residence by police authorities and the coastguard Deported Refoulements (across the northern borders of our country) Smugglers arrested by Police authorities and the coastguard 2002 58 230 11 778 37 220 612 2003 51 031 14 993 31 067 525 2004 44 987 15 720 25 831 679 2005 66 351 21 238 40 284 799 2006 95 239 17 650 42 041 994 2007 112 364 17 077 51 114 1 421 2008 146 337 20 555 48 252 2 211 2009 126 145 20 342 43 977 1 716 2010 132 524 17 340 35 127 1 150 2011 99 368 11 357 5 922 848 2012 76 878 17 358 4 759 726 4 MONTHS 2013 11 874 6 370 1 858 248 Source: Ministry of Public Order. Hellenic Police Statistics





IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED

2011 Main Nationalities 2012 Main Nationalities 1. Afghanistan 28 528 1. Afghanistan 16 584 2. Pakistan 19 975 2. Pakistan 11 136 3. Albania 11 733 3. Albania 10 602 4. Bangladesh 5 416 4. Syria 7 927 5. Algeria 5 398 5. Bangladesh 7 863 6. Morocco 3 405 6. Algeria 4 606 7. Iraq 2 863 7. Iraq 2 212 8. Somalia 2 238 8. Morocco 2 207 9. Palestine 2 065 9. Somalia 1 765 10. Congo 1 855 10. Palestine 1 718 Source: Ministry of Public Order. Hellenic Police Statistics





DETENTION CENTRES' CAPACITY IN RELATION TO THE NUMBER OF DETAINED IMMIGRANTS

PRE-REMOVAL CENTRES CAPACITY DETAINED IMMIGRANTS COMPLETENESS PERCENTAGE AMIGDALEZA 2 000 1 787 89 % KOMOTINI 540 422 78 % XANTHI 480 428 89 % DRAMA (PARANESTI) 557 296 53 % KORINTHOS 374 1 016 99 % DETENTION CENTRES CAPACITY DETAINED IMMIGRANTS COMPLETENESS PERCENTAGE ORESTIADA (FILAKIO) 374 273 73 % SAMOS 285 100 35 % HIOS 108 95 88 % TOTAL DETAINED 5 368 4 417 82 % Source: Ministry of Public Order. Hellenic Police Statistics





HELLENIC READMISSION REQUESTS TO TURKEY

YEAR READMISSION REQUESTS NUMBER OF IRREGULAR IMMIGRANTS ACCEPTED DELIVERED 2006 239 2 251 456 127 2007 491 7 728 1 452 423 2008 1 527 26 516 3 020 230 2009 879 16 123 974 283 2010 295 10 198 1 457 501 2011 276 18 758 1 552 730 2012 292 20 464 823 113 2013 44 795 84 8 TOTAL 5 706 122 796 12 332 3 805 Source: Ministry of Public Order. Hellenic Police Statistics

Results of 2012 from FRONTEX:

— In total, during the joint maritime operations 258 suspected facilitators were apprehended.

— Across all the sea operations in 2012, there were 169 SAR cases and 5 757 migrants in distress were saved.

— In addition, 382 suspected drug smugglers were apprehended. The amount of drugs seized was over 46 tonnes, worth EUR 72,6 million. The predominant part of this was hashish – almost 44 tonnes of drugs worth EUR 68 million.

— Beside this, 38 cases of smuggled cigarettes/tobacco were detected during sea operations. The 2,4 million packets of contraband cigarettes intercepted were worth EUR 5,6 million.

ALL BELOW source: FRONTEX ANNUAL RISK ANALYSIS

Indicator 1A — Detections of illegal border-crossing between border-crossing points:

The number of third -country nationals detected by Member State authorities when illegally entering or attempting to enter the territory between border-crossing points (BCPs) at external borders only. Detections during hot pursuits at the immediate vicinity of the border are included. This indicator should not include EU or Schengen Associated Country (SAC) nationals.

Detections of illegal border-crossing between BCPs

Routes 2010 2011 2012 Share of total % change on prev. year Eastern Mediterranean route (Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus) 55 688 57 025 37 224 51 –35 Land 49 513 55 558 32 854 –41 Afghanistan 21 389 19 308 7 973 –59 Syria 495 1 216 6 216 411 Bangladesh 1 496 3 541 4 598 30 Sea 6 175 1 467 4 370 198 Afghanistan 1 373 310 1 593 414 Syria 139 76 906 1 092 Palestine 1 500 128 408 219 Central Mediterranean route (Italy and Malta) 1 662 59 002 10 379 14 –82 Somalia 82 1 400 3 394 142 Tunisia 650 27 964 2 244 –92 Eritrea 55 641 1 889 195 Western Mediterranean route 5 003 8 448 6 397 8,8 –24 Sea 3 436 5 103 3 558 –30 Algeria 1 242 1 037 1 048 1,1 Morocco 300 775 364 –53 Chad 46 230 262 14 Land 1 567 3 345 2 839 –15 Not specified 1 108 2 610 1 410 –46 Algeria 459 735 967 32 Morocco 0 0 144 n.a. Western Balkan route 2 371 4 658 6 391 8,8 37 Afghanistan 469 983 1 665 69 Kosovo (1) 372 498 942 89 Pakistan 39 604 861 43 Circular route frora Albania to Greece 35 297 5 269 5 502 7,6 4,4 Albania 32 451 5 022 5 398 7,5 fYROM 49 23 36 57 Kosovo (1) 21 37 34 –8,1 Apulia and Calabria (Italy) 2 788 5 259 4 772 6,6 –9,3 Afghanistan 1 664 2 274 1 705 –25 Pakistan 52 992 1 156 17 Bangladesh 12 209 497 138 Eastern borders route 1 052 1 049 1 597 2,2 52 Georgia 144 209 328 57 Somalia 48 120 263 119 Afghanistan 132 105 200 90 Western African route 196 340 174 0,2 –49 Morocco 179 321 104 –68 Gambia 1 2 39 1 850 Senegal 2 4 15 275 Other 3 1 1 0 0 Iran 0 0 1 n.a Russian Federation 2 0 0 n.a Somalia 0 1 0 – 100 Total 104 060 141 051 72 437 –49





Illegal border-crossing between BCPs

Detections by border type and top ten nationalities at the external borders

2009 2010 2012 2012 Share of total % change on prev. year All Borders Afghanistan 14 539 25 918 22 994 13 169 18 –43 Syria 613 861 1 616 7 903 11 389 Albania 38 905 33 260 5 138 5 651 7,8 10 Algeria 4 487 8 763 6 157 5 479 7,6 –11 Bangladesh 551 1 647 4 923 5 417 7,5 10 Somalia 9 115 4 619 3 011 5 038 7,0 67 Pakistan 1 592 3 878 15 375 4 877 6,7 –68 Tunisia 1 701 1 498 28 829 2 717 3,8 –91 Eritrea 2 228 1 439 1 572 2 604 3,6 66 Morocco 1 710 1 959 3 780 2 122 2,9 –44 Others 29 158 20 218 47 656 17 460 24 –63 Total all borders 104 599 104 060 141 051 72 437 –49 Land Border Afghanistan 2 410 22 844 20 396 9 838 20 –52 Syria 389 530 1 254 6 416 13 412 Albania 38 088 32 592 5 076 5 460 11 7,6 Bangladesh 305 1 506 3 575 4 751 9,7 33 Algeria 676 6 961 4 671 4 081 8,3 –13 Pakistan 1 328 3 675 13 781 3 344 6,8 –76 Not specified 565 1 304 2 747 1 817 3,7 –34 Somalia 259 4 102 1 498 1 558 3,2 4,0 Morocco 737 1 319 2 236 1 422 2,9 –36 Palestine 2 791 2 661 652 1 195 2,4 83 Others 9 892 12 306 13 993 9 301 19 –34 Total land borders 57 440 89 800 69 879 49 183 –30 Sea Border Somalia 8 856 517 1 513 3 480 15 130 Afghanistan 12 129 3 074 2 598 3 331 14 28 Tunisia 1 643 711 28 013 2 283 9,8 –92 Eritrea 2 195 507 680 1 942 8,4 186 Pakistan 264 203 1 594 1 533 6,6 –3,8 Syria 224 331 362 1 487 6,4 311 Algeria 3 811 1 802 1 486 1 398 6,0 –5,9 Egypt 545 713 1 948 1 283 5,5 –34 Morocco 973 640 1 544 700 3,0 –55 Bangladesh 246 141 1 348 666 2,9 –51 Others 16 273 5 621 30 086 5 151 22 –83 Total sea borders 47 159 14 260 71 172 23 254 100 –67

Indicator 1B — Detections of illegal border-crossing at border-crossing points:

The number of third-country nationals detected by Member State authorities when entering clandestinely or attempting to enter illegally (such as hiding in transport means or in another physical way to avoid border checks at BCPs) the territory at border-crossing points (BCPs) at external borders only, whether they result in a refusal of entry or not. This indicator should not include EU or Schengen Associated Country (SAC) nationals.

Clandestine entries at BCPs

Detections reported by Member State and top ten nationalities at the external borders

2009 2010 2011 2012 Share of total % change on prev. year Border Type Land 137 168 159 486 81 208 Sea 159 74 123 115 19 –6,5 Top Ten Nationalities Afghanistan 18 8 58 190 31 228 Algeria 30 35 55 61 10 11 Turkey 73 93 24 41 6,8 71 Syria 2 3 6 36 6,0 500 Albania 3 7 9 35 5,8 289 Morocco 20 14 15 24 4,0 60 Pakistan 2 12 10 24 4,0 140 Palestine 14 4 17 24 4,0 41 Serbia 4 2 4 23 3,8 475 Philippines 0 8 1 17 2,8 1 600 Others 130 56 83 126 21 62 Total 296 242 282 601 115

FRONTEX · ANNUAL RISK ANALYSIS 2013

Indicator 2 — Detections of facilitators:

The number of facilitators intercepted by Member State authorities who have intentionally assisted third-country nationals in the illegal entry to, or exit from, the territory across external borders. The indicator concerns detections of facilitators at the following locations: (1) at the external border (both at and between BCPs, for land air and sea) and (2) inside the territory and at internal borders between two Schengen Member States provided that the activities concerned the facilitation of third-country nationals for illegal entry or exit at external borders. This indicator should include third-country nationals as well as EU and/or Schengen Associated Country (SAC) nationals.

Facilitators

Detections reported by Member State, place of detection and top ten nationalities (2)

2009 2010 2011 2012 Share of total % change on prev. year Border Type Inland 5 901 5 918 5 146 5 186 67 0,8 Land 1 160 1 171 625 887 11 42 Land Intra EU 618 616 365 498 6,5 36 Sea 997 503 324 471 6,1 45 Air 277 300 367 358 4,6 –2,5 Not specified 218 121 130 320 4,1 146 Top Ten Nationalities Italy 875 1 367 568 543 7,0 –4,4 Spain 286 285 320 498 6,5 56 Not specified 322 261 255 479 6,2 88 Morocco 475 413 390 461 6,0 18 Romania 292 398 268 364 4,7 36 France 230 365 404 352 4,6 –13 China 731 554 375 316 4,1 –16 Pakistan 245 245 237 286 3,7 21 Albania 670 430 221 243 3,1 10 Turkey 405 305 204 238 3,1 17 Others 4 640 4 006 3 715 3 940 51 6,1 Total 9 171 8 629 6 957 7 720 11

Indicator 3 — Detections of illegal stay:

The number of third-country nationals detected by Member State authorities while not fulfilling, or no longer fulfilling, the conditions for stay or residence in the Member State during the reference month, irrespective of whether they were detected inland or while trying to exit the territory. The category should include third-country nationals who are not in the possession of a valid visa, residence permit, travel document, etc or in breach of a decision to leave the country. It also includes third-country nationals who initially entered legally but then overstayed their permission to stay. This indicator should not include EU or Schengen Associated Country (SAC) nationals.

Illegal stay

Detections reported by Member State, place of detection and top ten nationalities

2009 2010 2011 2012 Share of total % change on prev. year Place of Detection Inland 340 180 295 274 283 308 278 438 81 –1,7 Air 28 624 29 322 33 126 35 410 10 6,9 Land 6 351 7 011 17 640 19 883 5,8 13 Land Intra EU 17 594 12 996 9 230 5 832 1,7 –37 Sea 19 156 7 232 6 593 4 585 1,3 –30 Between BCPs 198 1 233 1 049 724 0,2 –31 Not specified 22 9 2 56 2 700 Top Ten Nationalities Afghanistan 38 637 21 104 25 296 24 395 7,1 –3,6 Morocco 25 816 22 183 21 887 21 268 6,2 –2,8 Pakistan 9 058 10 508 12 621 18 334 5,3 45 Algeria 12 286 14 261 15 398 15 776 4,6 2,5 Tunisia 10 569 8 350 22 864 15 211 4,4 –33 Albania 28 810 20 862 10 207 13 264 3,8 30 Ukraine 10 021 8 835 12 847 13 081 3,8 1,8 Syria 3 838 3 160 3 746 11 967 3,5 219 Serbia 7 028 12 477 10 397 11 503 3,3 11 Russian Federation 9 526 9 471 10 314 11 486 3,3 11 Others 256 536 221 866 205 371 188 643 55 –8,1 Total 412 125 353 077 350 948 344 928 –1,7

(1) This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

(2)