WRITTEN QUESTION E-2773/01 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Construction of external frontier posts on Poland's eastern border.
Date: 2001-10-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Czechia, EU financing, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, border control, customs

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Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(20 November 2001)

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission’s answers to Written Questions E-3018/00 from
Mr Ford (1) and E-2431/01 from Mrs McNally (2).

(1) OJ C 163 E, 6.6.2001.
(2) See page 7.

(2002/C 172 E/016)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2773/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Construction of external frontier posts on Poland’s eastern border

The construction of new border posts along Poland’s eastern boarder has been funded by the European
Union. On enlargement, strict border controls will have to be built up progressively on the eastern borders
of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.

How much was the EU contribution to improving Poland’s eastern border controls, and what are the
intended arrangements for financial contributions and planning assistance for establishing border controls
along the eastern frontiers of the other countries mentioned above?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(3 December 2001)

The PHARE programme has made and continues to make substantial allocations both in terms of
investment and institutional building to improve eastern border management in all the candidate countries
mentioned by the Honourable Member. Clearly the emphasis is on improving management of those
borders that are likely to become the future Schengen external borders of the European Union. In this area,
the Commission co-operates very closely with the EU Member States for both the implementation and
monitoring of border projects. Both Commission and Member State experts carried out technical missions
in all candidate countries in 1998-1999 and in 2000-2001 for the identification of needs in the fields of
asylum, migration, border management and police & customs co-operation in the fight against organised
crime.

The core approach is to assist the candidates to adopt a legal framework consistent with the acquis. The
in this respect is the financing of twinning arrangements between EU Member States and
main tool
candidate countries. Each Twinning Covenant implies the secondment of, at least, one Pre-Accession
Advisor (PAA) from one Member State and for 12 months minimum duration. Each project covers also
training, study trips, equipment where necessary and short-term experts to complement the PAA. Another
substantial part of the allocations is directed towards investment, i.e. the supply of equipment (transport,
laboratory equipment, detection tools, etc. …) or the financing of the building/rehabilitation of appropriate
infrastructure (border crossing points mainly) for ensuring the enforcement of the JHA acquis.

The PHARE Horizontal Programmes (PHP) consist of multi-country sectoral projects focused on the
assistance to the establishment of strategies and on training, with a view to ensuring certain homogeneity
between the candidate countries in the transposition of
the acquis. Two PHARE JHA horizontal
programmes of € 10 million each have been established in 1996-1999 and then 2000-2003. They
concentrate in the fields of border management and control, training of judges, visa, asylum, immigration,
organised crime, judicial co-operation. In the field of drugs, another multi-country programme of € 10
million was developed in 1999, with the aim to developing an anti-drugs policy and strengthening the

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fight against drugs supply and demand. Moreover, in 2000, it was decided to allocate € 1 million for each
PHARE candidate country to develop a National PHARE Project to complete this PHARE Drugs Horizontal
programme.

In addition to the efforts made with regard to improving border management on the future Schengen
external borders of the candidate countries, significant amounts have been made available through the
TACIS programme to improve the situation of the Western borders of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and
Moldova. Since 1996, the TACIS Cross-Border Cooperation Programme has committed € 65 million to
improve border infrastructure. Additional funds have been used to improve the overall border manage-
ment capacity of these countries, mainly for border guard and customs services. These efforts will be
continued in the future.

Poland

Since 1990, the European Commission has committed € 181 million for investments in eastern border
crossings in Poland and access roads to these crossings. During the same period, an additional amount of
€ 140 million has been committed for investments and institution building in Eastern Border Management
in Poland. This includes, a.o., aspects of phyto-sanitary and veterinary inspection (i.e. training of inspectors)
and inspection posts on border crossings (building infrastructure and laboratory equipment), customs
administration (equipment and training of customs officials), police and border guards (equipment and
training). This amount includes € 17,5 millon committed to twinning activities with member states on
issues such as migration and asylum, border policy, visa policy, organised crime and international judicial
co-operation.

Czech Republic

It is important to recall that the Czech Republic that will not have, as such, any future external Schengen
borders, except the Prague International Airport. It will have however to ensure a ‘high level’ of border
protection with all its neighbouring countries irrespective of their status. In this context, PHARE national
assistance amounted to over € 11,5 million during 1997-2001.

This assistance focused mainly on:

(a)

(b)

strengthening the operational capacity and training of the Border and Alien Police (prevention of
illegal immigration, exchange of information, Schengen standards, etc.),

setting up of a compatible National Schengen Information System (NSIS), of systems of machine-
readable documents and Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS),

(c)

supply of special border control equipment (notably on the border with Slovakia).

Slovakia

PHARE support has been provided to assist border management under the 1998 and 1999 programmes
(about € 4,65 million), and in particular the supply of technical equipment at the border crossing points
with Ukraine and the improvement of the border protection strategy for the Slovak-Ukrainian border. To
date,
fields including illegal
immigration, police co-operation; false documents, protection of the green border, traffic and organised
crime.

training activities/seminars have been organised in a wide range of

Hungary

In Hungary, PHARE is supporting the strengthening of external borders since 1997. Since then, more than
€ 51 million were made available in support of border management. Most of the assistance was provided
in the area of Justice and Home Affairs through training, advise in the fight against crime, equipment for
information technology, green border control and visa control but also modernisation of the infrastructure

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at future external border crossing points. In addition, funding was also provided to reinforce veterinary and
phyto-sanitary controls through the installation of laboratory equipment. Projects were also implemented
to assist the customs authorities.

Romania

PHARE support has been provided to strengthen border management under the 1999 and 2000
programmes. The PHARE 1999 border management programme (budget € 10,5 million) covered
elaboration of new management structures and policies for the border management services, staff training
and investment in equipment. The PHARE 2000 border management programme (budget € 18 million)
covered further development of training, communications systems and strengthening of mobility and
surveillance capacity of the border control services. Further support in this area is anticipated under future
PHARE programmes for Romania.

(2002/C 172 E/017)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2855/01

by Bertel Haarder (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 October 2001)

Subject: Zimbabwe

In the light of Parliament’s resolution of 6 September 2001 on the situation in Zimbabwe (B5-0549, 554,
571, 581, 582 and 592/2001), will Commissioner Nielson:

G ensure that ZANU-PF activists do not misappropriate humanitarian assistance and food aid for their

own use,

G halt all development cooperation assistance granted via the government of Zimbabwe and its agencies,

G initiate measures in relation to Zimbabwe under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement,

G identify and freeze assets held by President Mugabe, his family and named close associates in EU

countries and closely associated countries,

G institute a ban on entry to EU countries and closely associated countries by President Mugabe, his

family and named close associates?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(11 December 2001)

The General Affairs Council of 29 October 2001 decided, following a proposal from the Commission (1),
to invite the Government of Zimbabwe to attend consultations in accordance with Article 96 of the
Cotonou Agreement.

The Union expressed its concern about the deterioration of the situation in Zimbabwe, in particular in
respect to political violence, the preparation and organisation of free and fair elections, protection of the
freedom of the media, the independence of the judiciary and an end to the illegal occupation of properties.
The Union will raise these concerns in the course of the up-coming consultations, and will seek from the
Government of Zimbabwe undertakings to remedy the situation.

It would be premature to make a judgement on the outcome of the consultations with Zimbabwe before
they actually take place, in particular in respect to any measures that might be taken.