WRITTEN QUESTION E-1675/02 by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Repatriation of illegal immigrants from the EU.
Date: 2002-06-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU migration policy, EU visa policy, cooperation agreement (EU), foreign national, illegal migration, migration control, negotiation of an agreement (EU), return migration, third country

C 161 E/8

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

10.7.2003

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2002)

The Commission reminds the Honourable Member that where co-funding from the European Regional
Development Fund is concerned Member States are obliged under Council Regulation (EC) No 1260/1999
of 21 June 1999 laying down general provisions on the Structural Funds (1) to inform it only of major
projects as defined in Article 25 thereof.

The Spanish authorities have so far sent the Commission two requests for assistance from the Cohesion
Fund for high speed lines: Madrid-Barcelona-French frontier and Madrid-Valladolid. The Madrid-Cordoba
high speed line has been in service since 1992.

The Commission recalls to the Honourable Member’s attention the replies it has already given to a number
of questions about high speed rail lines in Galicia. Among the most recent are: H-0362/02 (2), H-0274/
02 (3) and E-2455/01 and E-2466/01 (4).

(1) OJ L 161, 26.6.1999.
(2) Written reply on 11.6.2002.
(3) Written reply on 14.5.2002.
(4) OJ C 115 E, 16.5.2002.

(2003/C 161 E/010)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1675/02

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Repatriation of illegal immigrants from the EU

(12 June 2002)

Can the Commission confirm that tens of thousands of Chinese citizens are transported across Asia and
Europe, often through the Balkans, to the European Union every year? Is it correct that the Chinese
Government frequently refuses to accept its citizens who return because they have no proof of nationality,
and is this the case even when these nationals cooperate with the authorities in the Member States in
identifying themselves and their countries of origin?

Can the Commission list the states which refuse to cooperate with Member States in this way and indicate
whether or not they are recipients of aid from or are party to Association or trade agreements with the
European Union?

Could the Commission also indicate which of the Balkan states are exempt from visa requirements and
whether it believes that the imposition of such requirements would be helpful in stemming the flow of
illegal immigration?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 2002)

Illegal immigration from China remains an important subject of interest for the Commission in the global
fight against this phenomenon. However, the number of illegal
immigrants from China into Europe
remained limited so far.

The Chinese Government indeed applies the principle of ‘repatriation after verification’ and thus agrees on
the return of individuals provided their Chinese nationality has been formally proven.

The Union and China started a dialogue on illegal migration, following the tragedy of Dover in June 2000,
during the meeting between Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and the President of the Commission on
11 July 2000 in Brussels. The problem of the so-called ‘Balkan route’, and in particular the issue of the
visa-free travel to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), facilitating the subsequent illegal entry to the
Union in the years 2000 and 2001, was addressed in the framework of the Union-China dialogue together
with the authorities of the FRY, which have meanwhile introduced a visa requirement for Chinese citizens.

10.7.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Return issues are also discussed within the context of this dialogue, and the third High level consultations
on fighting illegal migration and trafficking in human beings took place on 19 July 2002 in Brussels. On
that occasion, concrete steps for closer cooperation to improve return practices have been envisaged.

In the conclusion No 40 of the Laeken European Council of 15 December 2001, it was called for the
integration of the policy of migratory flows into the Union’s foreign policy. It was decided in particular
that European readmission agreements must be concluded with the countries concerned on the basis of a
new list of priorities and a clear action plan. Building upon these guidelines the Council identified, at its
meeting on 25 April 2002, four new priority countries for further Community readmission agreements,
among them China, and asked the Commission to submit to it draft negotiating directives as soon as
possible. So far the Council formally authorised the Commission to negotiate Community readmission
agreements with Morocco, Sri Lanka, Russia, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Macao and Ukraine. The Commission
has successfully completed negotiations with Hong Kong and Sri Lanka (final texts initialled in November
2001 and May 2002 respectively) and negotiations with Macao are well advanced and expected to be
completed soon. Regarding the other negotiations, however, it is not yet possible to indicate a date for
their completion.

However, it should be noted that the fact that Community readmission agreements are negotiated does not
justify the assumption that the countries concerned have refused to co-operate. The willingness to enter
into negotiations on such agreements is rather the opposite signal and is highly appreciated.

The European Council of Seville of 21 and 22 June 2002 addressed the issue of co-operation with third
countries in fighting illegal migration.
It was concluded that it would be necessary to carry out a
systematic assessment of relations with third countries, which do not co-operate in fighting illegal
migration. At the level of the Community, co-operation with countries of origin and transit on preventing
and fighting illegal migration has started relatively recently. First experiences with countries such as
Albania and other Balkans countries, Morocco, Sri Lanka, and Turkey are rather encouraging. In line with
the conclusions of the European Council of Seville, the Commission will submit to the Council a report on
the financial resources available at Community level for repatriation of migrants and rejected asylum
seekers, for management of external borders and to promote co-operation with third countries in the field
of asylum and migration, including illegal immigration.

Regarding the visa requirement for nationals of the Balkans States, it should be mentioned that, according
to Council Regulation EC No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001, listing third countries whose nationals must be
in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that
requirement (1),
the FRY and the Former Republic of
Macedonia (FYROM) need a visa to enter the Union.

the nationals of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,

(1) OJ L 81, 21.3.2001.

(2003/C 161 E/011)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1794/02

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 June 2002)

Subject: Obstacles placed in the way of protection measures for public authorities in largely privatised

companies as a result of a judicial ruling

Does the Commission recall that objections to the privatisation of public enterprises were refuted in
1.
the past by the argument, inter alia, that although private capital would be attracted, the public authorities
would still retain a large measure of control
thanks to protection mechanisms such as minority
participation combined with the right of veto, over location, type of production, number of employees,
mergers with, or takeover of, other companies and the role of the company in the context of social and
environmental needs?