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Parliamentary question - E-001556/2016Parliamentary question
E-001556/2016

Filtering refugees at the border on the basis of nationality

Question for written answer E-001556-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
Judith Sargentini (Verts/ALE) , Bodil Valero (Verts/ALE)

According to media reports[1] and following own observations at the Greece-Macedonia and Macedonia-Serbia borders, several EU Member States (e.g. Croatia) and candidate EU Member States (Macedonia and Serbia) select refugees at border crossings on the basis of two nationalities — Syrian and Iraqi — and block entry to other refugees without assessing whether they are refugees or giving them an opportunity to claim asylum.

1. Is the Commission aware of this alleged discriminatory segregation on the basis of nationality?

2. How does the Commission assess this alleged practice in the context of European and international law, including the right to asylum, and the EU accession process in the case of Macedonia and Serbia?

3. If the practice is deemed a violation of the (principles of the) law, what will the Commission do to address this matter with the countries concerned and to abolish the nationality test?