Migration situation at the Greek land border with Turkey

23.4.2018

Question for written answer P-002233-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Jeroen Lenaers (PPE)

According to the Greek media, the Greek Police have been warning about human traffickers who are smuggling migrants from Turkey to Greece across the Evros border river. According to reports, in March this year the number of migrants who entered Greece in this way was six times greater than in March last year (1 658). Since last week this number is said to have been rising rapidly, with more than 1 500 attempted crossings in the past week.

Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 2016/1624 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Border and Coast Guard permits a Member State to request the launching of a rapid border intervention.

1. Has the European Border and Coast Guard Agency received a request for the launching of a rapid border intervention and if not, ought the Commission not to draw Greece’s attention to the possibility of submitting such a request, and encourage it to submit one? 2. Does the Commission consider it necessary to immediately send experts from the Agency pursuant to Article 17(1) to assess the situation at Greece’s external border?