WRITTEN QUESTION E-1898/02 by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission. Request for a report on the amount of EU aid supplied to the countries in which most illegal immigrants originate.
Date: 2002-07-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, cooperation policy, development aid, economic cooperation, illegal migration, report, third country, trafficking in human beings

C 28 E/152

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.2.2003

(2003/C 28 E/174)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1898/02

by Mario Borghezio (NI) to the Commission

(1 July 2002)

Subject: Request for a report on the amount of EU aid supplied to the countries in which most illegal

immigrants originate

EU development cooperation plays a strategic role in the prevention of immigration from outside the
Community.

Unfortunately, not all the countries which receive EU aid cooperate actively with the EU Member States in
combating illegal immigration and in clamping down on trafficking in human beings.

Should research not be carried out into the methods and the extent of those countries’ cooperation in the
fight against illegal immigration?

How much aid is supplied by the EU to the countries in which most illegal immigrants originate?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(7 August 2002)

The Commission regards its development cooperation policy as playing an essential part in bringing major
it shortly plans to present a
migratory flows under control
in the longer term. With this in view,
tackling the
communication on ‘Development and Migration’ which should shed light on ways of
underlying causes of this phenomenon.

As part of preparations for the Seville European Council of June 2002, certain Member States raised the
issue of how to deal with third countries regarded as not cooperating actively enough with the Union to
combat illegal immigration. The Commission endorses the balanced approach reflected in the conclusions
adopted at Seville.

Those conclusions highlight the importance of an integrated, comprehensive approach which tackles the
immigration, and of the role played by economic cooperation, trade expansion,
root causes of illegal
development assistance and conflict prevention. However,
it should be remembered that migration is
inextricably linked to differences in living standards and increasing inequality between countries and
regions of the world.

The European Council also calls for a systematic assessment to be made of relations with third countries
which do not cooperate in combating illegal immigration; that assessment will be taken into account in
respect of relations in all relevant areas between the European Union and the countries concerned. The
Commission will contribute to this exercise.

As for the importance of aid paid to countries of origin, more detailed information on immigration and
asylum will be provided in the report on the effectiveness of financial resources available at Community
level which the European Council has requested the Commission to submit by end-October.

(2003/C 28 E/175)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1899/02

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(1 July 2002)

Subject: Illegal bushmeat trade

In western and central Africa (and stretching on occasion as far as Europe) an illegal bushmeat trade is
being carried on which is so extensive as to constitute not only the most serious threat to the survival of
gorillas, chimpanzees, orang-utans and gibbons but also a serious risk to public health in the regions
affected.