WRITTEN QUESTION E-0113/02 by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission. Grants of asylum in the EU.
Date: 2002-01-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, European Union, right of asylum, statistics

C 277 E/20

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.11.2002

Also on 6 December 2001, the Council authorised the Europol Director to enter into negotiations with the
American authorities on such an agreement. As required by Council Decision of 27 March 2000
authorising the Director of Europol to enter into negotiations on agreements with third States and non-
Union related bodies (2), the Europol Joined Supervisory Body provided a preliminary opinion, in which it
already indicated some particular points that would require specific attention during the negotiations with
the United States. However, the negotiations have not started yet. The questions raised by the Honourable
Member concerning the exchange of personal data between the United States and Europol will be the
subject of these negotiations and can, therefore, not be answered in detail at this stage.

The Council Act of 12 March 1999 (Article 2, paragraph 1(b)) entitles the Director of Europol to authorise
exceptionally the transmission of personal data to a third country or third body under very limited
circumstances and under the conditions laid down in Article 18 of
the Europol Convention. On
28 September 2001, the Director of Europol took the decision to authorise the transmission of personal
data to the United States for the purpose of investigating the terrorist acts committed on 11 September
2001.

(1) OJ C 88, 30.3.1999.
(2) OJ C 106, 13.4.2000.

(2002/C 277 E/019)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0113/02

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(28 January 2002)

Subject: Grants of asylum in the EU

During 2000 and 2001 developments in the number of people granted asylum varied between the
individual EU countries.

Can the Commisison state what the various developments were in the number of asylum seekers and
grants of asylum in each of the 15 Member States during 2000 and 2001?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2002)

As certain data for 2001 is yet to be submitted to the Commission by some Member States only
provisional conclusions can be drawn at this stage.

However, following the May 2001 Council Conclusions regarding common analysis and the improved
exchange of statistics on asylum and migration, the Commission intends to publish an annual report on
the asylum, illegal entry and immigration statistics of 2001, including a statistical analysis of trends and
indicators. The report is expected to be published at the end of 2002. It should provide more definite
answers to the questions raised by the Honourable Member.

With regards to the number of asylum applications, the available figures would tend to suggest that
Member States have not been faced with a steady flow of applications over the last two years. So far no
Member State has reported totals comparable to 2000; they experienced either a sizeable increase or
decrease.

As when assessing the total number of applications, missing 2001 data still causes difficulties when
considering developments with regards to the granting of asylum. Judging from the data submitted, 11,8 %
were granted Geneva Convention status, while the total number of positive decisions (Geneva Convention
status and subsidiary forms of protection) would be 19,8 % of the decisions taken. However, here again
developments differed in Member States.