Situation at the French-Italian border near Bardonecchia
3.5.2018
Question for written answer E-002484-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Daniele Viotti (S&D) , Cécile Kashetu Kyenge (S&D) , Patrizia Toia (S&D) , Brando Benifei (S&D) , Silvia Costa (S&D) , Isabella De Monte (S&D) , Paolo De Castro (S&D) , Renata Briano (S&D) , Pina Picierno (S&D) , Andrea Cozzolino (S&D) , Goffredo Maria Bettini (S&D) , Michela Giuffrida (S&D) , Damiano Zoffoli (S&D) , Nicola Caputo (S&D) , Luigi Morgano (S&D) , Elena Gentile (S&D) , Alessia Maria Mosca (S&D) , Renato Soru (S&D) , Giuseppe Ferrandino (S&D)
Over the past few months, at the border between France and Italy (Bardonecchia-Briançon) there have been incidents in which unaccompanied minors have been refused entry by the French authorities. Such measures have been considered to be illegal under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Dublin Regulation, which provides for family reunification for unaccompanied minors entering the EU.
In addition, on 21 April, a stretch of the border near Nevache was the scene of a demonstration by far-right militants who set up a wire fence along the border without any intervention from the French Gendarmerie.
Lastly, on 31 March French customs police entered the premises of Bardonecchia station, which is currently being managed by an NGO, to obtain a urine sample from a man intercepted on a train, without requesting the authorisation of the Italian authorities to do so and thereby breaching the provisions of the Schengen Agreement.
Can the Commission therefore answer the following questions:
- —Is it aware of the recent events near the French-Italian border?
- —Does it not consider the conduct of the French authorities to be in breach of human rights, international law and EC law?
- —Will it impose any penalties on the Member State in question, so that such events are not repeated?