WRITTEN QUESTION E-3137/03 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Right to apply for asylum.
Date: 2003-10-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, admission of aliens, private international law, refugee, right of asylum, standard

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/783

(2004/C 78 E/0833)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3137/03

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(23 October 2003)

Subject: Right to apply for asylum

Does the Council believe that, in its present form, the amended proposal for a directive COM(2002) 326
final (1) on minimum standards on procedures for granting and withdrawing refugee status is compatible
with the Member States’ obligations arising from international conventions on refugees and asylum
seekers? In particular, can the Council explain how it is guaranteeing the right to apply for asylum for all
asylum seekers, including their access to the territory of the Member States? How is it guaranteeing their
access to fair procedures for considering their applications and the right to appeal where asylum seekers
are sent back to their country of origin while publication of the judicial decision granting asylum is
pending?

(1) OJ C 291, 26.11.2002, p. 143.

Reply

(4 March 2004)

The Council’s activities as regards the right to asylum are focused at present on the proposal for a
Directive on minimum standards on procedures in Member States for granting and withdrawing refugee
status.

The Council will take care to ensure that any future Community regulations in this area respect the rights
and guarantees established by the international
in particular the Geneva
Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms.

law instruments concerned,

(2004/C 78 E/0834)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3167/03

by Roger Helmer (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 October 2003)

Subject: Working and health care in the accession countries

Would the Commission please tell me whether the UK Government has a reciprocal arrangement in place
with the ten accession States so that UK citizens will have the right to work in the new accession States
immediately following their membership of
the accession States have
derogations in place to prevent UK nationals working in their countries?

the EU, or whether any of

Would the Commission further tell me whether the new accession States have reciprocal health care
agreements in place with the rest of the EU following their accession?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(14 November 2003)

According to the transitional arrangement agreed in the Accession Treaty, all current Member States are
allowed to control and regulate the access of workers from the new Member States to their national labour
markets under national rules for a maximum of seven years. This transitional arrangement does not apply
to Cyprus and Malta. Thus, there will be complete free movement between the present Member States and
these two countries and indeed between the other new Member States and Cyprus and Malta. Malta,
however, has the right to impose a safeguard measure until 30 April 2011.