WRITTEN QUESTION P-2109/03 by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission. Illegal immigration.
Date: 2003-06-19
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU migration policy, cooperation agreement (EU), cooperation policy, external border of the EU, financial aid, illegal migration, migration control, third country

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6.3.2004

Furthermore, the Government has refused to give access to interested parties to the new construction
plans, and policemen present in the neighbourhood since the beginning of May 2003 have refused access
to the wider area to the general public.

Do the present works on the HVPS by the PPC in Argyroupolis-Ilioupolis comply with Directive 97/11/
EC (1) on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment?

Under which authorised planning and construction licence are the works on the HVPS being continued?

(1) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997, p. 5.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(28 July 2003)

A complaint concerning the plan to build a power station with high-voltage overhead transmission lines in
the Argyroupolis-Ilioupolis area has already been registered under the reference number 2002/5430.

A letter has been sent to the Greek authorities requesting information on compliance with the provisions
of Directive 85/337/EEC (1), as amended by Directive 97/11/EC (2), and the measures taken to meet the
requirements of Directive 92/43/EEC (3).

Once it has received a formal reply from the Greek authorities, the Commission will examine the
information provided to check for any incompatibility with the Community provisions in force, and will
then take appropriate action. However, the Commission does not have the power to give a decision on
possible breaches of Greek law, such as failure to comply with Article 24 of the Greek Constitution.

(1) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of certain public and private projects on the

environment, OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment

of certain public and private projects on the environment, OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.

(3) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora,

OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

(2004/C 58 E/148)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2109/03

by Sebastiano Musumeci (UEN) to the Commission

(19 June 2003)

Subject: Illegal immigration

Boatloads of illegal immigrants are continuing to land on the southern coasts of Italy. Although the Italian
government’s efforts to tackle this issue reduced the numbers by more than 15 thousand last year, Italy
cannot solve this complex problem alone.

Does the Commission not consider that it should apply the principle of financial burden-sharing between
Member States and try to ensure that future cooperation agreements with States from which illegal
immigrants come are no longer signed by individual countries but by the EU, in line with the proposal put
forward in 1995?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(30 July 2003)

in its Communication adopted on 3 June 2003 (1), pays particular attention to the
The Commission,
principle of burden sharing and to the more efficient management of the external borders of the Union.
The Commission proposes to make use of the margin available from 2004-2006 (heading 3 of the
financial perspectives) to make available EUR 80 million that would represent a first effort of solidarity in

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the field of external borders and that would also cover the initial investment required for the development
of a visa information system. The Commission indicates, at
that an amount of
EUR 140 million would probably be more adequate based on reasonable estimates that would also take
into account an integrated return programme. In this respect the recent European Council in Thessaloniki
supported this approach inviting the Commission to pursue this line.

the same time,

The Commission considers that co-operation with third counties in the area of migration will require
increased attention in the coming years and has presented its approach in the Communication on
integrating migration issues in the Union’s relations with third countries that was presented on
3 December 2002. Besides intensifying the dialogue with the main countries of origin and transit,
concrete co-operation to prevent and combat illegal migration will be required. The proposal for a
Regulation establishing a programme for financial and technical assistance to third countries in the area of
migration that was published on 11 June 2003 (2) and sent to the Council and the Parliament aims to
provide the financial means for such co-operation. Once this Regulation will be adopted, the Community
will dispose of a specific financial instrument to assist third countries in their efforts in better managing
migratory flows in all their dimensions. This Community program will finance actions which join in a
coherent way national and other bilateral or regional Community co-operation and is intended in
particular for third countries actively engaged in the preparation or implementation of a readmission
agreement initialled, signed or concluded with the Community.

The Readmission Agreements concluded with third countries are an essential complement to the adoption
of effective laws and efficient practices for the expulsion and return of illegal
immigrants. The 1999
Tampere European Council confirmed that the Amsterdam Treaty conferred powers on the Community in
the field of readmission (cf. Article 63(3)(b) of the EC Treaty). The Council was, therefore,
invited to
conclude readmission agreements or to include readmission standard clauses in other agreements between
the Community and relevant third countries or groups of countries. So far the Community has signed a
readmission agreement with Hong Kong in November 2002 which is expected to enter into force in the
second half of 2003. Two other Agreements with Sri Lanka and Macao have been initialled in May 2002
and October 2002 respectively. In addition, the Council also authorised the Commission to negotiate
Community readmission agreements with Morocco, Russia, Pakistan (September 2000), Ukraine (June
2002), Albania, Algeria, China and Turkey (November 2002).

(1) Communication on the development of a common policy on illegal immigration, smuggling and trafficking of

human beings, external borders and the return of illegal residents (cid:1) COM(2003) 323.

(2) COM(2003) 355 final.

(2004/C 58 E/149)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2115/03

by Ilda Figueiredo (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(25 June 2003)

Subject: Rights of tenant farmers

In order to be eligible for early retirement, farmers in Portugal must ensure that their farm is transferred to
another farmer, designated the transferee, who meets the conditions laid down in the regulation approved
by decree No 99/2001 of 16 January 2001.

farmers, however, are required to cancel

lease contract
Tenant
obligation, which prevents the farm from being transferred to their children.

the rural

in addition to the above

This situation is extremely unfair to these farmers, who are discriminated against by comparison with
farmers who own the land they work and may transfer their farm to their children.

Can the Commission say whether the rural development regulation, or any other Community regulation,
prevents tenant farmers from transferring the land lease contract to their children, so that the parents can
be eligible for early retirement?