Parliamentary question - O-000094/2011Parliamentary question
O-000094/2011

  Member States' answers to migration flows and their impact on Schengen

15.4.2011

Question for oral answer O-000094/2011
to the Commission
Rule 115
Baroness Sarah Ludford, Renate Weber, Stanimir Ilchev, Nadja Hirsch, Jan Mulder, Nathalie Griesbeck, Sonia Alfano, Cecilia Wikström, Louis Michel, Jens Rohde, Sophia in 't Veld
on behalf of the ALDE Group

Last week France instituted border controls near the Italian town of Ventimiglia after the Italian Government signed a decree allowing the authorities to deliver temporary residence permits to the 25 800 Tunisian migrants who have arrived in Lampedusa since the fall of the regime in that country.

The dispute between France and Italy over migration and the lack of EU solidarity with Member States in the front line of the migration problem are having damaging consequences on the Schengen system. The temptation to close internal borders or to ignore the situation of Member States directly affected by the migration flows are ‘knee-jerk’ answers.

There is no simple long-term, comprehensive solution. What is needed is responsible, efficient and coordinated control of the EU’s external borders, together with a coherent EU asylum system recognising interdependence. What has happened has demonstrated that it is time for both responsibility and solidarity to be shown. This includes a common asylum policy with common procedures for granting international protection.

Therefore,

  can the Commission indicate whether the controls at the borders between France and Italy near Ventimiglia are justified?

  can the Commission indicate whether the temporary residence permits issued by Italy are in conformity with the Schengen rules and if they do indeed allow free movement inside the Schengen area?

Tabled: 15.4.2011

Forwarded: 19.4.2011

Deadline for reply: 26.4.2011