WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3929/97 by Florus WIJSENBEEK to the Commission. Freight freeways for the transport of goods by road
Date: 1997-12-12
Institutions: European Parliament, WIJSENBEEK
Subjects: EU law - national law, approximation of laws, carrier, common transport policy, free movement of goods, freedom of movement, road transport, traffic regulations

16. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 187/93

(98/C 187/140)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3928/97

by Giampaolo D(cid:146)Andrea (PPE), Pierluigi Castagnetti (PPE), Antonio Graziani (PPE),
Gerardo Bianco (PPE) and Maria Colombo Svevo (PPE) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: Illegal immigration

In  recent  times  there  has  been  a  huge  increase  in  the  number  of  illegal  immigrants,  most  of  them  Kurds,
attempting to enter the EU through Italy in what amounts to an exodus from areas in the grip of ethnic conflicts,
where, there can be no doubt, human rights are being trampled underfoot.

What action does the European Union intend to take with a view to both stemming the flow and helping to ensure
respect for the rights of such ethnic minorities, thus enabling them to lead a life of dignity?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 1997)

The  Conclusions  of  the  Luxembourg  European  Council  referred  to  the  massive  influx  of  immigrants,  in
particular from Iraq (1). The Council was requested to prepare and implement an action plan which would also
take account of the causes of the influx, of which humanitarian aspects and human rights are an integral part. The
plan will outline external relations measures to be taken by the European Union and will also contain a justice
and home affairs component, covering in particular the asylum and immigration aspects.

The  Commission  is  actively  involved  in  drawing  up  the  action  plan  in  all  the  bodies  concerned.  In  1997  it
presented  two  proposals  relating  to  this  matter  which  are  still  under  study  in  the  Council.  In  March  1997,  it
presented a proposal for joint action on the temporary protection of displaced persons, on which Parliament was
consulted (2); this would provide an appropriate legal framework for people in need of temporary international
protection.  In  July  1997,  it  presented  a  proposal  for  a  joint  action  introducing  the  Odysseus  programme  of
training, exchanges and cooperation in the field of asylum, immigration and crossing of external borders (3), on
which Parliament was also consulted, under which targeted measures both between Member States and transit
countries can be set up.

(1)  Para. 64.
(2)  OJ C 106, 4.4.1997.
(3)  OJC 267, 3.9.1997.

(98/C 187/141)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3929/97

by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 December 1997)

Subject: Freight freeways for the transport of goods by road

Is  the  Commission  aware  that  there  are  at  present  16  European  countries  with  50  different  sets  of  rules
concerning bans on driving and that these bans mean that shipping and transport firms incur considerable costs?

Is the Commission of the opinion that a lot of the existing bans often have a discriminatory effect, and that they
may constitute an obstacle to the freedom of movement of goods in the European Union?

If so, will the Commission make efforts to ensure the creation of harmonized rules concerning driving bans at EU
and European level, with agreements to prevent the undesirable proliferation of regional and national schemes?