WRITTEN QUESTION E-3558/03 by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission. Right to vote for immigrants in EU Member States.
Date: 2003-12-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU migration policy, Italy, foreign national, integration of migrants, local election, right to vote

27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/827

subsequently released. The case has been referred to the Belgian courts and investigation continues. It is
therefore too soon to give details of the charges brought.

We will take whatever action the outcome of the proceedings indicates as necessary.

Given that criminal proceedings were under way, disciplinary proceedings were started against the official
concerned. They have been suspended pending a final judgment. Under Article 88 of the Staff Regulations
the official has already been suspended from duty.

Under our internal reform programme the Directorate-General for Agriculture is in the process of making
significant improvements in market management procedures and their supervision. But no internal control
system can be entirely foolproof.

Our rules on staff rotation have been applied throughout the Directorate-General for Agriculture.

(2004/C 78 E/0880)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3558/03

by Roberta Angelilli (UEN) to the Commission

(1 December 2003)

Subject: Right to vote for immigrants in EU Member States

A debate recently opened in Italy on whether third-country nationals who have resided legally in the
country for at least six years should be given the right to vote in local elections.

There are major disparities in the current legislation in the Member States (in France and Germany, for
example, non-Community nationals do not have the right to vote; in the United Kingdom, this right is
granted only to EU and Commonwealth citizens, in Spain to immigrants from the former colonies and in
Portugal to Brazilians, Peruvians, Argentines, Uruguayans, Norwegians and Israelis; and in Ireland, Sweden,
Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland, the right to vote is granted to immigrants of all nationalities).

Given that the Tampere European Council conclusions set out a number of principles, including that of the
legal status of third-country nationals being approximated to that of Member States’ nationals and that of a
person, who has resided legally in a Member State for a period of time to be determined and who holds a
long-term residence permit, being granted a set of uniform rights which are as near as possible to those
enjoyed by EU citizens,

Can the Commission:

1.

2.

state whether studies have been conducted into the matter at European level?

clearly state its position on the right to vote in local and parliamentary elections for non-Community
nationals legally resident in the EU?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 2004)

The Tampere European Council (1999) set the guidelines for a common Union asylum and immigration
policy. This policy includes the element of fair treatment of third country nationals residing legally in the
territory of the Member States. The European Council Conclusions state that the legal status of legally
resident third country nationals should be approximated to that of Member States’ nationals. Third country
nationals should be granted a set of uniform rights, which are as near as possible to those enjoyed by
Union citizens.

C 78 E/828

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

This is concretised by the proposal for a Council Directive concerning the status of third country nationals
who are long-term residents (1), which was adopted by the Council on 25 November 2003. In its recent
Communication on immigration, integration and employment (2) the Commission suggested that Member
States consider granting political rights to long-term residents, in particular at local level, when transposing
this Directive into national law. The Commission indeed believes that granting long-term resident third-
country nationals political rights is important for the integration process and that the new Treaty should
provide a basis for so doing. Until its entry into force there is no legal basis to do so.

The Commission has carried out a study on ‘The legal status of third-country nationals who are long-term
residents in a Member State of the European Union’ (April 2000) which includes a comparison of access to
voting rights for third-country nationals. The Commission is, furthermore, aware of a number of studies
carried out by independent researchers concerning third-country nationals’ political
integration and
participation in democratic processes. Under the 6th Research Framework Programme 2002-2006 priority
has been given to research in the field of nationality, and a comparative study on rules regulating the
acquisition and loss of nationality in the Member States will commence in 2004. The study will also
examine the status of quasi-citizenship for third-country nationals that are granted in several Member
States on the basis of long-term residence.

(1) OJ C 240 E, 28.8.2001.
(2) COM(2003) 336 final.

(2004/C 78 E/0881)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3578/03

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(5 December 2003)

Subject: Environmentally friendly diesel fuel

GECAM is the name of a new diesel fuel developed and marketed by Cam-Technologies research teams at
the beginning of 1997. By virtue of its particular composition, this environmentally friendly fuel cuts
emissions of pollutants (fine particulates and nitrogen oxides). The advantage of GECAM is that sooting
and fuel consumption are reduced through improved combustion due to its 10 % water content. Carbon
dioxide emissions are some 5 % lower than with traditional diesel
fuel
consumption over a given distance. This environmentally friendly fuel is increasingly used in public road
transport in almost all major cities in Italy, without any adjustment of the engine being necessary.

fuels, given almost identical

Many engines in public transport vehicles no longer meet European emission standards.

Will the Commission say by which means (including financial means) it is promoting environmentally
friendly fuels?

Does it not agree that the introduction of environmentally friendly diesel fuels such as GECAM throughout
Europe would make sense? If so, what measures are being taken to promote such a move in public
transport?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(27 January 2004)

the introduction of environmental

following the
The Commission promotes
Communication on alternative fuels in 2001 (1), is currently studying the technical and economic status
and developments of alternative fuels for road transport. For this purpose the ‘Alternative Fuels Contact
Group’ has been established. The work of this group is focusing on natural gas and hydrogen, and on
measures by which the Community could promote their use. Commission efforts have focussed on
alternative fuels that have the potential of achieving 5 % market share Union-wide by 2020. Dispersions of

friendly fuels and,