WRITTEN QUESTION P-2849/00 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Albania and crime.
Date: 2000-09-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Albania, Italy, financial aid, frontier migration, human rights, illegal migration, organised crime, trafficking in human beings

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/15

(2001/C 163 E/013)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2849/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(4 September 2000)

Subject: Albania and crime

The recent tragic events which occurred in Apulia as a result of the ramming of a Customs patrol boat
(which led to the deaths of the two customs officers on board) by Albanians ferrying illegal immigrants
across the sea have once again raised the issue of the relations between Italy (and other European countries
in general) and Albania.

There is no sign of any fall-off in the trade in human beings from Albania, the hallmarks of which are
cynicism and violence.

The Albanian Government (and the country(cid:146)s authorities in general) are failing to keep the phenomenon in
check, either through inability or through a lack of will.

Human rights in Albania therefore lack the safeguard which is a prerequisite for intervention by the EU.

In view of the above facts, will the Commission consider immediately suspending any kind of financial
support for Albania until the latter provides tangible proof that it has succeeded in halting the traffic in
human lives and also in drugs and weapons, all of which undermine the security of EU citizens and
territory, especially Italy and Apulia in particular?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(11 October 2000)

The Commission is fully aware of the problems caused by trafficking of human beings across the Adriatic
Sea. Albania is one of the most important routes of illegal or illicit entry from the Balkans into the
Community. Organised crime has developed in Albania, in particular following the state crisis in 1997.
The fight against organised crime must be seen in the overall context of the need in Albania to improve
public order, law enforcement and to enhance the fight against corruption (also within its own adminis-
tration). As regards the trafficking of human beings, an activity that has particularly increased since 1999,
existing legislation is clearly inadequate to deter trafficking networks. This problem has been repeatedly
addressed in bilateral relations. A new set of laws should be adopted during autumn 2000.

In response to this situation, the General Affairs Council adopted in July 2000 the action plan for Albania
and the neighbouring region drawn up by the cross-pillar High level working group on asylum and
migration. The action plan identifies a number of measures in the areas of external relations, development
policy and justice and home affairs, i.e. to counter trafficking in human beings. Funding for these actions
comes from Member States and existing Community budget lines and from 2001 a specific budget line on
cooperation with third countries in the area of migration.

In general, the aid granted by the Community to Albania focuses on institution building (including
customs, police,
judiciary, public administration reform) and infrastructure development (roads, water,
sanitation) designed to promote stabilisation and development in the country. Budgetary assistance is
provided in line with specific sector related conditions or, in 1999, in order to cover costs related to the
Kosovo crisis, during which Albania (cid:129) the poorest country in Europe (cid:129) hosted temporarily 500 000
Kosovars (more than 8 % of their population). The Commission takes the view (cid:129) as pointed out in reply to
Written Question P-2787 by Mrs Angelilli (1) (cid:129) that freezing aid to Albania because of defects in its record
in controlling illegal migration would not be helpful.

C 163 E/16

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

6.6.2001

Finally, the fight against organised crime in general and trafficking of human beings in particular is being
fully 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 19/20 May 2000.

(1) See p. 9.

(2001/C 163 E/014)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2863/00

by Elspeth Attwooll (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 September 2000)

Subject: Common agricultural policy: Field margins

How does the Commission envisage the attainment of its stated objective of sustainable farming whilst
strictly enforcing the current rules requiring a maximum two-metre field margin between the field
boundary and the cropped area in order to be eligible for Arable Area Payments without financial penalty?

Regulations (EC) 1257/1999 (1) and 1259/1999 (2) provide various instruments for the promotion of
sustainable farming that protects the environment. Can the Commission confirm whether, and in what
way, these might be used to prevent the strict implementation of the two-metre rule in cases where that
rule would require hedgerows to be removed in order to meet its requirements?

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 80.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 113.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(3 November 2000)

The Commission is aware that there seems to be a need for clarifying whether, and to what extent, field
margins and especially areas planted with hedgerows can be considered as part of agricultural parcels
eligible for arable area support needs. The Commission has been confronted with a similar problem
involving trees in an agricultural parcel, for which legislative provisions have been made in Article 2(1) of
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3887/92 of 23 December 1992 laying down detailed rules for applying
the integrated administration and control system for certain Community aid schemes (1). The Commission
is currently looking at the various possibilities for a legislative solution. The Commission is committed to
improving and maintaining the rural environment in the context of the common agricultural policy. It
considers hedges and field ditches to be of great importance for wildlife and other environmental functions
across the whole farming spectrum, especially those which are more intensively managed. The Commis-
sion has, however to ensure that only eligible land benefits from the support scheme of arable crops.

The Honourable Member asks how the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 of 17 May
1999 on support for rural development from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund
(EAGGF) and amending and repealing certain Regulations, and Council Regulation (EC) No 1259/1999 of
17 May 1999 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural
policy, might be used to protect field margins.

Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 provides a framework under which Member States draw up, at the
appropriate geographic level, rural development plans which are submitted for Commission approval.
A range of measures can be implemented under these plans and benefit from Community co-financing
within a financial envelope fixed at Member State level. All plans are required to include an agri-
environment measure, the aim of which is to support particular production methods designed to protect
the environment and to maintain the countryside. The detailed prescription of agri-environment measures
is primarily the responsibility of Member States in order to ensure such measures are well-targeted to the