WRITTEN QUESTION E-0397/04 by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Legalising irregular migrants working in the Union.
Date: 2004-02-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU migration policy, clandestine worker, illegal migration, integration of migrants, legal status, migrant worker, rights of aliens

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/783

Community framework, while considering sub-regional specificities, is a prerequisite not only to ensuring a
level playing field but also to putting forward fisheries management proposals in the wider international
framework.

Illegal fishing is a problem that may affect not only third country fishing vessels but also Community ones;
for example, Greek waters and resources are negatively affected both by the illegal use of explosive and
poor compliance with the legal cod-end mesh size in trawl fisheries. These problems must be tackled
within the Community, not only at international level.

The outcome and final declaration of the Venice Ministerial Conference, organized by the Commission in
November 2003, have provided a strong political basis on which to progress more speedily and effectively
towards sustainable fisheries management in the Mediterranean. The extension of fisheries jurisdiction was
identified as an important means of achieving this goal.

In particular, the maturing debate of possible coordinated extension of national jurisdictions on open sea
together with the likely imminent
the new General Fisheries Commission for the
Mediterranean (GFCM) autonomous budget will allow both conservation and compliance issues to be
better addressed in a coordinated manner at Mediterranean level.

ratification of

(1) OJ L 171, 6.7.1994.
(2) OJ L 292, 21.11.2000.
(3) COM(2001) 135 final.
(4) COM(2002) 535.

(2004/C 84 E/0879)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0396/04

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 February 2004)

Subject: Guantánamo-on-Thames?

This question is being asked in the European press with regard to the situation of foreign prisoners in the
UK, who, despite the fact that they have been declared innocent, remain held in the Belmarsh High
Security Prison in London, under the provisions of the anti-terrorist laws enacted after 11 September
2001. These laws allow the British authorities to keep foreigners suspected of constituting ‘a threat to
national security’ in prison indefinitely, thus violating the European Convention on Human Rights. What is
the Commission doing in terms of approaching the UK Government to resolve this serious and intolerable
situation?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

On the basis of information available to the Commission, it appears that the particular situation to which
the Honourable Member refers does not fall within the scope of Community law.

(2004/C 84 E/0880)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0397/04

by Camilo Nogueira Román (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Legalising irregular migrants working in the Union

(16 February 2004)

Several million irregular immigrants work in the EU, and to date, the European Institutions have not taken
any decisions comparable to those of the President of the USA, who has just forwarded to Congress

C 84 E/784

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

a proposal for a new policy to give millions of irregular workers legal status. Although the implementation
of this decision by the US President may in some respects be open to criticism, there is no doubt that it
marks a major step forward in resolving an extremely serious economic and humanitarian problem. Has
the Commission planned any similar political initiative to legalise the presence of irregular immigrants in
the Union? If so, what type of initiative would it be?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(6 April 2004)

In order to implement the Treaty of Amsterdam and the mandate given in Tampere, the Commission has
tabled several proposals for directives concerning the admission and the conditions of stay of third-country
nationals.

Until now, none of these proposals contained provisions on the regularisation of the legal status of illegal
immigrants already within the territory of the European Union and no such proposal is envisaged in the
near future.

The Commission has stated in its Communication on immigration, integration and employment (1) that
within the context of the common immigration policy the only coherent approach to dealing with illegal
residents is to ensure that they return to their country of origin. Some Member States have implemented
regularisation measures for illegal residents. Regularisation procedures may be seen as a factor which
enables the integration process to develop but also as an encouragement of further illegal immigration.

Bearing in mind these potential impacts, the issue of regularisation will be examined in the study on the
links between legal and illegal migration that will be released by the Commission during the present Irish
Presidency.

(1) COM(2003) 336 final.

(2004/C 84 E/0881)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-0407/04

by Hugues Martin (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 February 2004)

Subject: CRAFT Community programmes

Since the 1990s, the European Union has been financing so-called CRAFT projects through its successive
Community R + D programmes. The purpose of these projects as to support the needs of SMEs in R + D,
facilitate transnational cooperation between SMEs on R + D, and to encourage cooperation cooperation
between SMEs and European research.

CRAFT has enabled many SMEs from throughout the European Union to come together to set up R + D
projects. Hence its sheer importance.

However, now that Europe has embarked on a multi-annual programme in favour of companies, and
particularly SMEs, with the particular goal of simplifying the legislative, administrative and financial
measures which concern them, it appears that Europe itself no longer feels this burning obligation. The
paperwork required to obtain European aid is more and more complex to handle, and once the submission
has been accepted, payment
takes a long time, which discourages SMEs. Such, accordingly to my
information, is the case of CRAFT.

For that reason, even if strict rules are necessary in order for European funding to be agreed, could the
Commission itself not make an effort to achieve administrative simplification, in collaboration with the
SMEs, so that all Europe’s SMEs can benefit from such programmes, whose importance requires no
demonstration?