WRITTEN QUESTION E-3277/00 by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission. Monitoring centre for unaccompanied minors.
Date: 2000-10-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: aid to refugees, child protection, data collection, forced migration, illegal migration, legal status, right of asylum, young person

6.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/73

(2001/C 163 E/076)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3277/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

Subject: Monitoring centre for unaccompanied minors

(20 October 2000)

The large numbers of migrants arriving in Europe, and in particular the hundreds of thousands of illegal
immigrants, include an alarming proportion of (cid:145)unaccompanied minors(cid:146). Does the Commission intend to
set up a monitoring centre for unaccompanied minors, for the purpose of monitoring the activities of the
various organisations authorised to provide reception facilities and services for these young people?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(15 December 2000)

The Commission does not plan to set up a monitoring centre for unaccompanied minors.

The Commission(cid:146)s approach consists of incorporating the problem of unaccompanied minors into all its
initiatives and giving them specific protection.

In terms of legislation, the Commission is striving to improve the legal status of unaccompanied minors. In
its proposals for directives on minimum standards for the procedures whereby refugee status is granted or
withdrawn in the Member States and whereby temporary protection is afforded in the event of a mass
influx of displaced persons (1) there are specific references to unaccompanied minors and to the extra
protection which they should be given. Similarly, the proposal for a directive on the right to family
reunification contains specific rules which apply to those unaccompanied minors who are recognised as
refugees (2).

Since the launch of the 1998 action plan to improve the collection of statistical data on asylum and
immigration the European Communities(cid:146) Statistical Office has taken account of unaccompanied minors
when collecting data on asylum requests. Information is also exchanged within the Council(cid:146)s Centre for
Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum (CIREA).

(1) COM(2000) 578 final and COM(2000) 303 final.
(2) OJ C 116 E, 24.4.2000 and COM(2000) 624 final.

(2001/C 163 E/077)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3278/00

by Adriana Poli Bortone (UEN) to the Commission

(20 October 2000)

Subject: Umbria and Marche

Years after the event, and despite the funds provided, the people of Umbria and Marche are still living in
conditions of extreme hardship and the process of reconstruction has not been completed. Could the
Commission, therefore, state whether it
intends to launch an investigation aimed at evaluating the
assistance provided and ascertaining whether the procedures laid down by Community law were complied
with?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(15 December 2000)

Within the partnership, and in particular through the meetings of the Monitoring Committees which
it attends, the Commission is kept informed of how the Structural Funds are being used. It does not
plan therefore to establish a committee of enquiry to evaluate Community structural assistance under
Objective 5(b) in Marche and Umbria. At this stage, it regards as adequate the monitoring of and checks
on those measures carried out under the regulations governing assistance from the Structural Funds.