WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2374/98 by Sebastiano MUSUMECI to the Commission. Emergency created by illegal immigration in southern Italy and the Italian Government's failure to take action
Date: 1998-07-17
Institutions: European Parliament, MUSUMECI
Subjects: Africa, Italy, Schengen Agreement, foreign national, illegal migration, trafficking in human beings

8.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 96/83

The Commission would also like to draw the Honourable Member(cid:146)s attention to the fact that Community
assistance cannot be granted for forestry measures in high-risk areas unless a protection plan has been forwarded
to the Commission. This principle was recently approved in the proposal on support for rural development from
the EAGGF.

The Commission is of the opinion that this measure exhausts the political leeway given to the Community under
the Treaty. The Member States are largely responsible for regional planning and forestry policy, such as changes
in land use or decisions on reafforestation of areas destroyed by fires. The Commission is also currently drafting a
proposal on a European forestry strategy, based on the detailed recommendations set out in the Thomas report on
Community forestry policy adopted by Parliament in January 1997. Clearly the protection of forests against fire
must play a significant role in such a strategy.

4.
The Commission has already contributed to the financing of a significant number of forest fire prevention
projects under the framework programmes in the field of research and development (Fuego, Inflame,
Prometheus, etc.), and continues to do so. It will proceed with these measures in future, as they have produced
some convincing results. The Commission does not therefore believe it is justified to set up a European Research
Centre for the purpose of preventing and combating forest fires in the Mediterranean countries of the European
Union.

(1) OJ L 217, 31.7.1992.
(2) OJ C 170, 4.6.1998.

(1999/C 96/116)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2374/98

by Sebastiano Musumeci (NI) to the Commission

(17 July 1998)

Subject: Emergency created by illegal immigration in southern Italy and the Italian Government(cid:146)s failure to take

action

Sadly, over the last few weeks, the problem of illegal immigrants being disembarked along the coast of southern
Italy has reached alarming proportions; in Sicily alone, in just one week, the authorities intercepted hundreds of
African nationals who had been enlisted by organizations involved in transporting illegal migrants across the
Mediterranean. Meanwhile, due to the reprehensible failure of the official Italian authorities to take any practical
advance measures to counter illegal immigration, the influx of immigrants can no longer be contained and the
majority of them, having eluded any form of control by the police or health authorities, succeed in travelling on to
other Member States, where they are destined for a life of poverty and exploitation by criminal organizations
among others. Thus the Italian Government, by its permissive policy, has failed to comply with the specific
undertakings it made in ratifying the Schengen Agreement, thereby prejudicing public order and security in Italy
and the rest of the Union.

In view of the foregoing, does the Commission intend to take immediate action to urge the Italian Government to
honour the undertakings made by it, and, if Italy continues to fail to fulfil its obligations, to bring an action before
the European Court of Justice?

Answer given by Mr Monti on behalf of the Commission

(22 September 1998)

No. The Schengen arrangements have not yet been incorporated into the framework of the Union and, in
principle, it is not for the Commission to take a position on matters relating to Schengen.

(1999/C 96/117)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2377/98

by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission

(27 July 1998)

Subject: Maximum residue limits

I have received a letter of concern from one of my constituents who has read that new legislation is due to come
into effect after 1 January 2000 with request to maximum residue limits on drugs used to treat horses.