WRITTEN QUESTION E-2525/01 by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) and Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council. Monitoring procedures regarding naturalisation and acquisition of Greek nationality.
Date: 2001-09-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU migration policy, EU statistics, Greece, USSR, illegal migration, immigration, naturalisation

18.4.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 93 E/149

On 21 August 2001, the Commission adopted Regulation (EC) No 1687/2001 (1) amending the detailed
rules implementing the Financial Regulation. The majority of the amendments called for by Parliament at
its sitting of 15 May 2001 to the Commission’s original proposal (2) were not incorporated.

How does the Council view the fact that the Commission did not attempt to seek an agreement

1.
between Parliament, the Council and itself on the amendments to be made?

2.

How does the Council view that fact that the Commission:

(a) did not incorporate Parliament’s proposals for the safeguarding and strengthening of the internal
auditor’s independence (in particular as regards a right to bring action similar to that of the financial
controller)?

(b) went back on its original proposal and failed to include provisions pursuant to which the internal
auditor, in addition to evaluating the effectiveness of management and control systems, was also to
have verified the regularity of financial operations and the soundness of financial management?

(c) has not acted on new Article 24a of the Financial Regulation (3), under which implementing measures
are to be laid down pursuant to Article 139 on the verification, by means of internal audit, of the
regularity of budget management?

(1) OJ L 228, 24.8.2001, p. 8.
(2) SEC(2000) 1890.
(3) OJ L 111, 20.4.2001, p. 2.

Reply

(10 December 2001)

The Council would point out that, under Article 139 of the Financial Regulation, the opinions of the
European Parliament and of the Council required for adoption by the Commission of implementing rules
for this Regulation are of an advisory nature: agreement between the three institutions is not required by
that article.

It notes that in the final text of Regulation (EC) No 1687/2001, which it adopted on 21 August 2001 (1),
the Commission has taken account of the opinions delivered by the European Parliament and the Council
respectively on the draft Regulation on implementing measures which was submitted to the Council on
17 November 2000. It is not for the Council to comment on the final text of the Regulation, which the
Commission adopted under its own responsibility.

(1) OJ L 228, 24.8.2001, p. 8.

(2002/C 93 E/180)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2525/01

by Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) and Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 September 2001)

Subject: Monitoring procedures regarding naturalisation and acquisition of Greek nationality

Concerning the reply by Commissioner K. Vitorino (E-1438/01 (1)) concerning migratory trends in Greece,
while the Greek authorities indicated that the total number of migrants was 22 078 in 1997 and 12 630 in
1998 and that Greek citizenship had been acquired by 930 people in 1997 and 807 in 1998, they did not
provide figures for 1999 and 2000. Moreover, the information provided does not concur with that
provided by the Greek Foreign Ministry regarding the completion of repatriation formalities, indicating
that Greek citizenship was awarded to 135 000 ethnic Greeks repatriated from the former Soviet Union.

Current Greek framework policy regarding migrants is based on Greek law 2790/2000 concerning the
reinstatement of repatriated Greeks from the former Soviet Union, laying down fast-track procedures for
the acquisition of Greek citizenship, and law 2910/2001 laying down conditions for entry and residence in
Greek territory for foreign nationals and acquisition of Greek citizenship through naturalisation.

C 93 E/150

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.4.2002

1. What is the exact number of repatriated Greeks from the former Soviet Union who acquired Greek
nationality? How many of
them acquired Greek nationality through naturalisation in the period
1993-2001 and what is the total number of migrants in Greece today?

2. What steps has the Council taken in view of the fact that the Greek Government has failed to
provide any information for the period 1999-2000 and the number of naturalisations does not tally with
the numbers of ethnic Greeks and migrants recorded as having entered the country?

3. What action will the Council take with a view to securing adequate and reliable information
regarding migration and asylum with a view to promoting Community migration policy in the Member
States of the European Union?

4. What action will the Council take to ensure transparency concerning statistics regarding illegal
immigrants and illegal entry and to ensure compliance with EU rules regarding the reception of migrants
in Greece in accordance with the Schengen provisions?

(1) OJ C 350 E, 11.12.2001, p. 154.

Reply

(10 December 2001)

The Council has no information regarding the number of persons who have acquired Greek nationality or
regarding the total number of migrants in Greece. As the Honourable Member is probably aware, the
collection of monthly statistical data within the context of CIREA (Centre for Information, Discussion and
Exchange on Asylum) and Cirefi (Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on the Crossing of
Frontiers and Immigration) was taken over by Eurostat, the Commission’s statistical service, following a
decision of the Council on 19 March 1998.

The Vienna Action Plan, adopted by the Council on 3 December 1998 (1), stated that in the field of
asylum, external borders and immigration an overall priority was the improvement of the exchange of
statistics and information on asylum and immigration. The Tampere European Council called for a
common policy in the field of asylum and migration. Improving the exchange and analysis of Community
statistics in this field contributes to enhancing cooperation among Member States and developing a
common asylum and migration policy.

On 4 April 2001, the Presidency of the Council organised a meeting where senior officials and statistical
experts were brought together to discuss the needs and possibilities for improved statistics in the area of
asylum and migration. Following this meeting, the Council at its meeting on 28/29 May 2001 adopted
conclusions setting out a number of principles and objectives for future work on improving Community
statistics in the field of asylum and migration.

At its meeting on 28/29 May 2001, the Council stated that transparency should become the main
principle in the field of asylum and migration statistics. Exceptions to this principle are only possible to
protect
the individual or in case of demonstrable sensitivity concerns. The
Commission is currently drafting a new Action Plan on statistics to be presented to and discussed by the
Council.

the confidentiality of

(1) OJ C 19, 23.1.1999, p. 1-15.