WRITTEN QUESTION E-0011/04 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Tunis summit and immigration policy.
Date: 2004-01-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU migration policy, EU relations, Euro-Arab cooperation, European neighbourhood policy, Great Maghreb, illegal migration, terrorism

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/525

of, the agencies of the Holy See and the governorship of the Vatican City State and their families have
the right to use the Vatican shops. This is estimated to be about 12 000 persons.’ It can be reasoned
that these figures are still valid or possibly even higher. For such a factual population the quoted
figures appear reasonable.

(1) Answer to P-3279/03, second paragraph: ‘In fact each amount quoted in the written question is inaccurate and can,
therefore, not be confirmed by the Commission and it is not certain how and from where the Honourable Member
extracted these figures.’

(2) OJ L 102, 17.4.1999.
(3) 1998 was the starting phase of the CATS database.
(4) OJ L 42, 16.2.1990.
(5) OJ C 347, 27.12.1993.

(2004/C 84 E/0600)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0011/04

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(16 January 2004)

Subject: Tunis summit and immigration policy

The 5 + 5 Dialogue summit took place on 5 and 6 December 2003 in Tunis. According to the few reports
that have appeared in the press, the main topic of discussion was strengthening cooperation in the
Western Mediterranean, together, presumably, with the question of the migratory flows from North Africa
to European countries, which are one of the most important factors in this cooperation. Since the 1999
Tampere summit, the European Union has been trying to devise a common migration policy. However,
individual Member States are enacting legislation which differs substantially. Italy, for example, following
an agreement with Tunisia, signed a bilateral agreement with Libya in July 2003 as many illegal boatloads
of immigrants arrive from Libya.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. What issues were on the agenda of the Tunis Summit?

2. Were any conclusions reached concerning the joint management of migratory flows to the Union in

order to avoid a massive influx of illegal immigrants?

3. Did the summit consider proposals to step up security against terrorism for the Mediterranean
countries and, at the same time, enhance economic development opportunities for the African
countries bordering the Mediterranean?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(9 March 2004)

Since the 5 + 5 Dialogue Summit in Tunis was an informal meeting, there was no formal agenda as

1.
such. A number of discussion topics (which were reflected in the final declaration) were proposed:

(cid:1) security and stability in the Mediterranean;

(cid:1) regional integration and economic cooperation;

(cid:1) migration;

(cid:1) dialogue between cultures and civilisations;

(cid:1) the new EU neighbourhood policy.

C 84 E/526

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

The final declaration of the first summit of Heads of State and Government endorsed the previous
2.
Tunis ministerial declaration on migration in the western Mediterranean of October 2002, which paved
the way for a ‘balanced, integrated, and comprehensive dialogue between the countries of the Western
Mediterranean to cooperate on migration issues of common interest in an organized and coordinated
manner’.

This confirmed the following points as fundamental elements of a Euro-Mediterranean policy which
incorporated the work of the Valencia Conference (April 2002) viewed within the broader context of the
Barcelona process:

(cid:1) to adopt a comprehensive and balanced approach to migrations (measures to combat

illegal
immigration should be complemented by co-development, movement of persons and labour
migration);

(cid:1) to consolidate the integration of legal migrants by protecting their rights (family reunion, facilities for

movement, equal treatment, etc.) while also spelling out their obligations;

(cid:1) to combat illegal

immigration and trafficking in human beings by joint action and cooperation
(including at operational level) while attempting to find a better way of addressing the real causes of
those plagues.

A meeting of the ministerial conference responsible for migration issues will be held in Algiers during
2004.

3.
The Tunis Summit of 5/6 December 2003 gave a warm welcome to the new neighbourhood policy
proposed by the EU. In a sense, this endorses the bilateral and regional policy already launched as part of
specific projects (such as the ‘management of border controls’ programme with Morocco and the JHA
regional programme) as well as the prospect enshrined in future action plans of implementing tailor-made
migration strategies for individual countries. The Tunis Summit also calls for the western basin of the
Mediterranean to be regarded, within the framework of that policy, as a strategic area and an area of peace,
stability, solidarity, prosperity, freedom and justice based on respect for common values.

In addition, the Member States involved in the 5 + 5 Dialogue reaffirmed their condemnation of terrorism
in all its forms. They proposed the adoption of regional plans to coordinate efforts and renewed their
commitment to implementing conventions and recommendations,
in particular UN Security Council
Resolution 1373. Expressing an interest
in a worldwide UN convention on terrorism and in an
international conference on the subject, they reiterated their determination to step up cooperation on
security and on economic, social and cultural development, particularly between the Arab Maghreb Union
and the European Union.

(2004/C 84 E/0601)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0015/04

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 January 2004)

Subject: Apple orchards

Can the Commission state whether any EU legislation has stipulated or resulted in the restriction of British
apple growers from planting new orchards of English apples? In particular, Cox’s apples.

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2004)

Recipients of Community aid for grubbing up apple, pear, peach and nectarine trees for the 1990/1991 to
1992/1993, 1994/1995, 1995/1996 and 1997/1998 marketing years had to undertake ‘to refrain for a
period of 15 years, first, from planting any apple trees (other than cider-apple trees), pear trees (other than
perry-pear trees), peach trees and/or nectarine trees on the areas of [their] holding affected by the grubbing