natgillin/translations-raw huggingface dataset:
Background conditions
Background conditions
With a view to establishing a common area of freedom, security, and justice, the Union has declared that it will support reform of the judicial system in Russia and management of the country’s borders.
With a view to establishing a common area of freedom, security, and justice, the Union has declared that it will support reform of the judicial system in Russia and management of the country’s borders.
Parliament urges the Council and Commission to make every effort to that end and also to promote training courses for border and immigration officials.
Parliament urges the Council and Commission to make every effort to that end and also to promote training courses for border and immigration officials.
Parliament maintains that Russia’s ability to manage migration must be improved so as to enable the Russian authorities to assume the responsibilities that will fall to them under the readmission agreement as soon as it enters into force.
Parliament maintains that Russia’s ability to manage migration must be improved so as to enable the Russian authorities to assume the responsibilities that will fall to them under the readmission agreement as soon as it enters into force.
Parliament is worried that there is no regulatory framework for implementing the agreement.
Parliament is worried that there is no regulatory framework for implementing the agreement.
Parliament urges the Commission to provide the Russian authorities with the expertise needed if Russia is to fulfil its obligations in accordance with international standards.
Parliament urges the Commission to provide the Russian authorities with the expertise needed if Russia is to fulfil its obligations in accordance with international standards.
Parliament is calling for an increasingly more intensive dialogue with Russia on human rights.
Parliament is calling for an increasingly more intensive dialogue with Russia on human rights.
Russia has not yet ratified Protocol No 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights concerning the abolition of the death penalty in peacetime; it has not signed the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; it has not ratified the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction; it is not cooperating fully with the Council of Europe and United Nations committees for the prevention of torture; it has not completed the procedure for ratifying the European Social Charter; and it has not reformed its public prosecution service in keeping with the undertakings that it gave in the Council of Europe.
Russia has not yet ratified Protocol No 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights concerning the abolition of the death penalty in peacetime; it has not signed the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; it has not ratified the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction; it is not cooperating fully with the Council of Europe and United Nations committees for the prevention of torture; it has not completed the procedure for ratifying the European Social Charter; and it has not reformed its public prosecution service in keeping with the undertakings that it gave in the Council of Europe.
Although the text of the agreement refers specifically to the international treaties signed by the parties (Article 18), it is legitimate to insist that searching scrutiny be brought to bear with a view to ascertaining that the readmission of immigrants by the Russian authorities is compatible with the highest standards of human rights.
Although the text of the agreement refers specifically to the international treaties signed by the parties (Article 18), it is legitimate to insist that searching scrutiny be brought to bear with a view to ascertaining that the readmission of immigrants by the Russian authorities is compatible with the highest standards of human rights.
The increasingly frequent reports that Russia is drifting towards authoritarianism are causing extreme disquiet in Parliament (cf., among others, the European Parliament resolution on EU-Russia relations , OJ C 117E, 18.5.2006, p.
The increasingly frequent reports that Russia is drifting towards authoritarianism are causing extreme disquiet in Parliament (cf., among others, the European Parliament resolution on EU-Russia relations , OJ C 117E, 18.5.2006, p.
235, and the European Parliament resolution on human rights in Russia and the new NGO legislation , P6_TA(2005)0534 ).
235, and the European Parliament resolution on human rights in Russia and the new NGO legislation , P6_TA(2005)0534 ).
A return policy consistent with Union values cannot be based on a purely repressive law-and-order approach, but must be encompassed instead within the wider scope of other policies.
A return policy consistent with Union values cannot be based on a purely repressive law-and-order approach, but must be encompassed instead within the wider scope of other policies.
What is in fact needed is an action plan aimed at
What is in fact needed is an action plan aimed at
i) intensifying development cooperation with countries of origin;
i) intensifying development cooperation with countries of origin;
ii) gauging the actual extent of the repatriations carried out by Member States;
ii) gauging the actual extent of the repatriations carried out by Member States;
iii) devising joint supervision arrangements to be set up with the countries with which readmission agreements or clauses have been negotiated;
iii) devising joint supervision arrangements to be set up with the countries with which readmission agreements or clauses have been negotiated;
iv) actively promoting coherence between the Union and the Member States where training and the implementation of bilateral agreements are concerned;
iv) actively promoting coherence between the Union and the Member States where training and the implementation of bilateral agreements are concerned;
v) fostering more intensive and structured dialogue with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and with the Council of Europe.
v) fostering more intensive and structured dialogue with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and with the Council of Europe.
It can truly be said that there is a huge challenge facing the Union’s external policy, immigration being one of the most important and sensitive aspects of that policy.
It can truly be said that there is a huge challenge facing the Union’s external policy, immigration being one of the most important and sensitive aspects of that policy.
Immigration requires the Union’s responsibilities for entry and return to be brought into balance, and this has not yet been achieved.
Immigration requires the Union’s responsibilities for entry and return to be brought into balance, and this has not yet been achieved.
It requires an integrated approach encompassing migration in both directions.
It requires an integrated approach encompassing migration in both directions.
The challenge is to create a new institutional order within the Union allowing a joint strategy to be laid down and Parliament’s decision-making power to extend to the subject as a whole.
The challenge is to create a new institutional order within the Union allowing a joint strategy to be laid down and Parliament’s decision-making power to extend to the subject as a whole.
The only possible option is democratic rationality, in other words a codecision procedure.
The only possible option is democratic rationality, in other words a codecision procedure.
The conditions described above would form the ideal background for a joint strategy for the return of illegal immigrants.
The conditions described above would form the ideal background for a joint strategy for the return of illegal immigrants.
The Foreign Ministers and the Ministers responsible for immigration will need to hold frequent meetings with Parliament and the Commission in order to determine the broad lines of such a strategy and also scrutinise its implementation.
The Foreign Ministers and the Ministers responsible for immigration will need to hold frequent meetings with Parliament and the Commission in order to determine the broad lines of such a strategy and also scrutinise its implementation.
Immigration matters and cooperation in external border management are an acid test of the success of the EU’s relations with its neighbours.
Immigration matters and cooperation in external border management are an acid test of the success of the EU’s relations with its neighbours.
An unsoundly based return policy in a situation in which the European political establishment is failing to assume its full responsibilities cannot be justified in the light of Union values.
An unsoundly based return policy in a situation in which the European political establishment is failing to assume its full responsibilities cannot be justified in the light of Union values.
Procedural conditions
Procedural conditions
It is manifestly obvious that returning entails an acute crisis.
It is manifestly obvious that returning entails an acute crisis.
The Union must ensure that in the return procedure the Member States and Russia respect the basic rights of the persons involved, especially the rights most to the fore in the walks of life in which migration occurs, namely non-discrimination, physical and psychological inviolability, protection of families, decent conditions when people are held in detention or going through the transit procedure, and essential safeguards regarding the right to be defended.
The Union must ensure that in the return procedure the Member States and Russia respect the basic rights of the persons involved, especially the rights most to the fore in the walks of life in which migration occurs, namely non-discrimination, physical and psychological inviolability, protection of families, decent conditions when people are held in detention or going through the transit procedure, and essential safeguards regarding the right to be defended.
These must form the mandatory basis on which to assess whether the contracting parties are complying with the agreement and acting in good faith.
These must form the mandatory basis on which to assess whether the contracting parties are complying with the agreement and acting in good faith.
i) How will the Commission and Council ensure that the above rights are respected in the event of repatriation and especially repatriation on a mass scale?
i) How will the Commission and Council ensure that the above rights are respected in the event of repatriation and especially repatriation on a mass scale?
ii) What joint supervisory arrangements do they intend to set up with Russia?
ii) What joint supervisory arrangements do they intend to set up with Russia?
iii) What criteria will be applied in order to ascertain that the country to which immigrants are returning offers guarantees of justice in its judicial system and of democracy in its political system?
iii) What criteria will be applied in order to ascertain that the country to which immigrants are returning offers guarantees of justice in its judicial system and of democracy in its political system?
iv) What arrangements will be made for sharing information about countries of destination for stateless persons?
iv) What arrangements will be made for sharing information about countries of destination for stateless persons?
Or are such countries, for the purposes of the agreement, a blank space?
Or are such countries, for the purposes of the agreement, a blank space?
Rights must thus be guaranteed throughout the entire procedure.
Rights must thus be guaranteed throughout the entire procedure.
The text of the agreement prompts several questions.
The text of the agreement prompts several questions.
As regards asylum-seekers
As regards asylum-seekers
The text of the agreement does not explicitly exclude asylum-seekers.
The text of the agreement does not explicitly exclude asylum-seekers.
It could consequently lead to the readmission of asylum-seekers whose applications had not yet been considered on their merits or had been rejected or deemed inadmissible as a result of applying the ‘safe third country’ concept.
It could consequently lead to the readmission of asylum-seekers whose applications had not yet been considered on their merits or had been rejected or deemed inadmissible as a result of applying the ‘safe third country’ concept.
Parliament is asking the Commission to raise this matter in the Joint Readmission Committee and call for safeguards to enable asylum-seekers to benefit from an asylum procedure respecting their status in international law, extending also to the principle of non-return ( ‘non-refoulement’ ).
Parliament is asking the Commission to raise this matter in the Joint Readmission Committee and call for safeguards to enable asylum-seekers to benefit from an asylum procedure respecting their status in international law, extending also to the principle of non-return ( ‘non-refoulement’ ).
What needs to be guaranteed is that the specific international protection accorded to persons granted asylum and refugees will not be eroded.
What needs to be guaranteed is that the specific international protection accorded to persons granted asylum and refugees will not be eroded.
As regards third-country nationals and stateless persons
As regards third-country nationals and stateless persons
i) How will information be obtained about the state of human rights in the countries of destination for third-country nationals and stateless persons?
i) How will information be obtained about the state of human rights in the countries of destination for third-country nationals and stateless persons?
ii) The status of stateless persons as defined in the 1954 United Nations Convention should be expressly mentioned in the list in Article 18.
ii) The status of stateless persons as defined in the 1954 United Nations Convention should be expressly mentioned in the list in Article 18.
Admittedly, the list is not exhaustive.
Admittedly, the list is not exhaustive.
But an explicit reference to stateless person status would serve to educate the administrative authorities.
But an explicit reference to stateless person status would serve to educate the administrative authorities.
Because they do not extend to monitoring human rights, the powers of the Joint Readmission Committee (Article 19) are visibly wanting and intrinsically skewed.
Because they do not extend to monitoring human rights, the powers of the Joint Readmission Committee (Article 19) are visibly wanting and intrinsically skewed.
An agreement relating to persons cannot, by definition, be treated as a purely technical agreement.
An agreement relating to persons cannot, by definition, be treated as a purely technical agreement.
Parliament is thus recommending that the powers of the Joint Readmission Committee include a power to monitor human rights at every stage of readmission.
Parliament is thus recommending that the powers of the Joint Readmission Committee include a power to monitor human rights at every stage of readmission.
The accelerated procedure (Article 6(3)) suggests a disturbing irreversible presumption regarding the irregular status of the persons covered.
The accelerated procedure (Article 6(3)) suggests a disturbing irreversible presumption regarding the irregular status of the persons covered.
What provision is made here for the safeguards afforded by the right to be defended?
What provision is made here for the safeguards afforded by the right to be defended?
How can the procedure be reconciled in practice with the specific status of asylum-seekers in international law?
How can the procedure be reconciled in practice with the specific status of asylum-seekers in international law?
As regards transit authorisation : safeguards to protect children, family unity, and the physical and psychological inviolability of illegal immigrants, and the essential safeguards regarding the right to be defended, are not included in the list of safeguards in Article 14 .
As regards transit authorisation : safeguards to protect children, family unity, and the physical and psychological inviolability of illegal immigrants, and the essential safeguards regarding the right to be defended, are not included in the list of safeguards in Article 14 .
The above safeguards, however, constitute the indispensable core of a principle of humanity that has to be observed if the agreement is to be valid in the light not only of Union values, but also of the unwritten principles of international law.
The above safeguards, however, constitute the indispensable core of a principle of humanity that has to be observed if the agreement is to be valid in the light not only of Union values, but also of the unwritten principles of international law.
The possibility of establishing a complementary relationship to the principle of voluntary return does not exist in the readmission agreement.
The possibility of establishing a complementary relationship to the principle of voluntary return does not exist in the readmission agreement.
According to this possibility, an illegal immigrant must be allowed a set period in which to leave voluntarily, as a first alternative to his forced return.
According to this possibility, an illegal immigrant must be allowed a set period in which to leave voluntarily, as a first alternative to his forced return.
Need for a human rights clause : contrary to the views expressed most recently by Parliament on the negotiation and conclusion of international agreements with non-member countries, the readmission agreement with Russia does not contain a reciprocal ‘human rights and democracy clause’, which, if breached, could lead to suspension or even termination of the agreement.
Need for a human rights clause : contrary to the views expressed most recently by Parliament on the negotiation and conclusion of international agreements with non-member countries, the readmission agreement with Russia does not contain a reciprocal ‘human rights and democracy clause’, which, if breached, could lead to suspension or even termination of the agreement.
In paragraph 8 of its resolution on the human rights and democracy clause in European Union agreements ( 2005/2057(INI) ) Parliament called for ‘the human rights and democracy clause to be extended to all new agreements between the European Union and third countries, both industrialised and developing, and including sectoral agreements, trade and technical or financial aid, along the lines of what has been done with the ACP States’.
In paragraph 8 of its resolution on the human rights and democracy clause in European Union agreements ( 2005/2057(INI) ) Parliament called for ‘the human rights and democracy clause to be extended to all new agreements between the European Union and third countries, both industrialised and developing, and including sectoral agreements, trade and technical or financial aid, along the lines of what has been done with the ACP States’.
Parliament is calling now on the Commission and Council to bring thorough assessment to bear on the implementation of the agreements being concluded with a view to the readmission of illegal immigrants, basing such assessment on human rights.
Parliament is calling now on the Commission and Council to bring thorough assessment to bear on the implementation of the agreements being concluded with a view to the readmission of illegal immigrants, basing such assessment on human rights.
Final remarks
Final remarks
The real problem with the EU-Russia readmission agreement lies in the question whether protection of human rights is to occupy a central place or be relegated to second place by a summary approach to return in which the security aspect takes precedence over the humanitarian aspect.
The real problem with the EU-Russia readmission agreement lies in the question whether protection of human rights is to occupy a central place or be relegated to second place by a summary approach to return in which the security aspect takes precedence over the humanitarian aspect.
Readmission agreements must resist the impulse to confuse illegal immigration with crime.
Readmission agreements must resist the impulse to confuse illegal immigration with crime.
They must not lead to the temptation of placing return at the centre of immigration policy.
They must not lead to the temptation of placing return at the centre of immigration policy.
They must not allow the preoccupation with figures to water down the focus on individual human rights.
They must not allow the preoccupation with figures to water down the focus on individual human rights.
Even one human rights violation is enough to give us cause for anxiety.
Even one human rights violation is enough to give us cause for anxiety.
In the agreement, the pragmatic dimension must not eclipse the moral dimension.
In the agreement, the pragmatic dimension must not eclipse the moral dimension.
Relations between the Union and Russia are expanding constantly.
Relations between the Union and Russia are expanding constantly.
If they are to be considered a genuine success, they must move beyond the purely technical sphere into the sphere of values.
If they are to be considered a genuine success, they must move beyond the purely technical sphere into the sphere of values.
Only in that way shall we achieve the aim of a wider Europe, conscious of fundamental values and able to make its mark on the world.
Only in that way shall we achieve the aim of a wider Europe, conscious of fundamental values and able to make its mark on the world.
It is on the basis of these considerations that Parliament is giving its assent to the agreement.
It is on the basis of these considerations that Parliament is giving its assent to the agreement.
There is only one yardstick for gauging the legitimacy of the agreement: sublime human dignity, the starting point and the ultimate goal of Union policies.
There is only one yardstick for gauging the legitimacy of the agreement: sublime human dignity, the starting point and the ultimate goal of Union policies.
for the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
for the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on readmission
on the proposal for a Council decision concerning the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on readmission
Your draftsperson welcomes the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on readmission, in parallel to the visa facilitation agreement, as a step toward completing the Common Space of Freedom, Security and Justice within the strategic partnership between the EU and Russia.
Your draftsperson welcomes the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation on readmission, in parallel to the visa facilitation agreement, as a step toward completing the Common Space of Freedom, Security and Justice within the strategic partnership between the EU and Russia.
He is pleased that the Agreement establishes clear obligations and procedures for the authorities of the Russian Federation and the Member States regarding the readmission of illegal residents.
He is pleased that the Agreement establishes clear obligations and procedures for the authorities of the Russian Federation and the Member States regarding the readmission of illegal residents.
He considers that the ratification of the Agreement by the Russian Federation and a strong commitment to its implementation should be prerequisites to the enactment of the visa facilitation agreement.
He considers that the ratification of the Agreement by the Russian Federation and a strong commitment to its implementation should be prerequisites to the enactment of the visa facilitation agreement.