Transfers from Greek islands to the mainland

10.2.2017

Question for written answer E-000963-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE) , Judith Sargentini (Verts/ALE)

The Commission has stated on a number of occasions that under the Turkish interpretation of the EU-Turkey Statement — with which both Greece and the EU are compliant — asylum-seekers or irregular migrants who are transferred to the mainland from the Greek islands are no longer eligible to return to Turkey. As is well documented, this had led to a dramatic humanitarian emergency on the Greek islands.

Could the Commission specify the criteria used by the Greek asylum authorities to establish who is eligible to be transferred to the mainland?

Could the Commission also clarify how detention is being used on the islands? Is it satisfied that the grounds for detention, as laid down in Directive 2013/33/EU, are being respected?