RAPORT referitor la propunerea de decizie a Consiliului privind încheierea Acordului dintre Comunitatea Europeană şi Republica Muntenegru privind facilitarea eliberării vizelor de scurtă şedere

12.10.2007 - (COM(2007)0426 – C6-0297/2007 – 2007/0149(CNS)) - *

Comisia pentru libertăţi civile, justiţie şi afaceri interne
Raportoare: Adina-Ioana Vălean

PROIECT DE REZOLUŢIE LEGISLATIVĂ A PARLAMENTULUI EUROPEAN

privind propunerea de decizie a Consiliului privind încheierea Acordului dintre Comunitatea Europeană şi Republica Muntenegru privind facilitarea eliberării vizelor de scurtă şedere

(COM(2007)0426 – C6-0297/2007 – 2007/0149(CNS))

(Procedura de consultare)

Parlamentul European,

–   având în vedere propunerea de decizie a Consiliului (COM(2007)0426)[1],

–   având în vedere articolul 62 alineatul (2) litera (b) punctele (i) şi (ii) şi articolul 300 alineatul (2) primul paragraf prima teză din Tratatul CE,

–   având în vedere articolul 300 alineatul (3) primul paragraf din Tratatul CE, în temeiul căruia a fost consultat de către Consiliu (C6-0297/2007),

–   având în vedere articolul 51 şi articolul 83 alineatul (7) din Regulamentul său de procedură,

–   având în vedere raportul Comisiei pentru libertăţi civile, justiţie şi afaceri interne şi avizul Comisiei pentru afaceri externe (A6-0379/2007),

1.  aprobă încheierea acordului;

2.  încredinţează Preşedintelui sarcina de a transmite poziţia Parlamentului Consiliului şi Comisiei, precum şi guvernelor şi parlamentelor statelor membre şi ale Republicii Muntenegru.

• [1]  Nepublicată încă în JO.

EXPUNERE DE MOTIVE

The European Parliament is consulted on the approval of the conclusion of two mutually conditional and parallel agreements with the Western Balkans: Readmission agreements with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro, and agreements with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania on the facilitation of issuance of short-stay visa (Albania having already concluded a readmission agreement in 2005).

The EU-Western Balkans Summit held in Thessaloniki on 21 June 2003 reaffirmed the importance for the Western Balkan countries of concluding visa facilitation and readmission agreements for coping with illegal migration issues.

The rapporteur welcomes and underlines the importance of these agreements for the Western Balkans that need to be seen as a package that benefit both sides; the EU and this region of strategic importance to the EU, which includes countries that hold an EU membership perspective (Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia having been granted candidate status).

The conclusion of such agreements on visa facilitation must be seen as an important step that can encourage the Western Balkan countries to implement relevant reforms and reinforce their cooperation at regional level and with the EU in areas such as strengthening the rule of law, fighting organised crime and corruption, and increasing their administrative capacity as regards border control and the security of documents by introducing biometric identifiers.

A well-functioning immigration system requires effective readmission agreements, and no visa facilitation agreement should be concluded if no readmission agreements are in place. However the EU should also consider making use of other instruments to achieve the conclusion and implementation of a readmission agreement, e.g. political, economic, commercial or development policy related.

The rapporteur welcomes the fact that the EC takes account of JHA factors in deciding whether to open negotiations on visa facilitation with third countries, such as border management, document security, migration and asylum, fight against terrorism, organized crime and corruption. Indeed, Albania, Montenegro, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina each face specific challenges in these areas that need a differentiated approach.

The rapporteur remains however very critical of the very limited role of the European Parliament in the conclusion of such agreements, a regrettable fact that increases the democratic deficit between the European institutions and its citizens. These issues have direct implications for the EU citizens and the EP is unfortunately not informed at any stage of the opening of negotiations, during the negotiations, as regards the impact of readmission and visa agreements and its implications in terms of human rights and asylum rights.

The objectives and the formal framework of these Community agreements of readmission justify that the EP be informed of the impact of its implementation in the Member States. Information as regards the number of returned migrants, nationality, status, average waiting period between the arrest, readmission request and transfer, etc., are needed to draw up an annual report that should be presented to the EP in view of a debate.

A monitoring mechanism and a suspension clause ought to be included in the visa facilitation agreements to allow the EU to suspend, at any time, the application of the agreement in case of difficulties in respect of implementation or unexpected political developments.

AVIZUL COMISIEI PENTRU AFACERI EXTERNE (4.10.2007)

for the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

on the proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Montenegro on the facilitation of issuance of short-stay visas

(COM(2007)0426 – C6‑0297/2007 – 2007/0149(CNS))

Draftsperson: Marcello Vernola

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SHORT JUSTIFICATION

The European Parliament has been consistently calling for a relaxation of the draconian visa regime which was imposed on the countries belonging to the former Yugoslavia. This regime, which contrasts sharply with the pre-war conditions that applied to Yugoslavian citizens, has been particularly pernicious for the social and economic development of the countries of south-eastern Europe.

Rather than serving its original purpose, notably that of preventing local criminal networks from extending their activities outside the region, it has prevented honest students, academics, researchers and businessmen from developing close contacts with partners in the EU countries. A sense of isolation, of undeserved discrimination, of ghettoisation has prevailed, particularly amongst the youngest, which has undermined their European identity. Europe is a prosperous society to which they would like belong from which but they feel rejected.

In the meantime, criminals have expanded their networks, forged alliances with fellow organisations in the EU Member States and expanded their activities in our territories, all this despite the visa restrictions which currently apply.

It is therefore legitimate to question the very foundations of the visa policy which the Union has hitherto applied towards the countries of south-eastern Europe. Much more emphasis should be placed on regional cooperation in the fight against organised crime and trafficking, with more funds and programmes being directed at upgrading facilities, training and better remuneration for staff, and promoting more sophisticated technologies. All this costs money, and this is where the Union should show solidarity. It is in the interests not just of these countries but also of the Union to develop efficient, reliable and corruption-free border control forces, police and public administration. Assistance under the Pre-Accession Instrument should therefore be stepped up, with additional funds being provided for this purpose.

By providing such (financial and technical) assistance the Union would enable these countries to fulfil the requirements for the next step: visa liberalisation. The European Parliament, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs in particular, strongly advocate lifting as soon as technically possible the visa requirements for citizens of the region. In our view, this would be a tangible sign that their countries belong to Europe, particularly in view of the fact that nine out of the ten new Member States, some of whom border on the region, will soon be joining the Schengen area. It would encourage them to take resolute action to adopt the reforms which will eventually lead them to full membership of the European Union.

******

The Committee on Foreign Affairs calls on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, as the committee responsible, to propose approval of the Commission proposal.

PROCEDURĂ

Titlu	Acord între CE şi Muntenegru privind vizele de scurtă şedere
Referinţe	COM(2007)0426 - C6-0297/2007 - 2007/0149(CNS)
Comisia competentă în fond	LIBE
Aviz emis de către        Data anunţului în plen	AFET 24.9.2007
Raportor pentru aviz        Data numirii	Marcello Vernola 12.9.2007
Examinare în comisie	3.10.2007
Data adoptării	3.10.2007
Rezultatul votului final	+: –: 0:	23 0 0
Membri titulari prezenţi la votul final	Vittorio Agnoletto, Christopher Beazley, Monika Beňová, Michael Gahler, Jas Gawronski, Alfred Gomolka, Richard Howitt, Anna Ibrisagic, Vytautas Landsbergis, Willy Meyer Pleite, Samuli Pohjamo, Libor Rouček, Katrin Saks, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Gitte Seeberg, Ari Vatanen, Josef Zieleniec
Membri supleanţi prezenţi la votul final	Árpád Duka-Zólyomi, Gisela Kallenbach, Erik Meijer, Rihards Pīks, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Marcello Vernola

PROCEDURĂ

Titlu	Acord între CE şi Muntenegru privind vizele de scurtă şedere
Referinţe	COM(2007)0426 - C6-0297/2007 - 2007/0149(CNS)
Data consultării PE	18.9.2007
Comisia competentă în fond        Data anunţului în plen	LIBE 24.9.2007
Comisia (comisiile) sesizată(e) pentru avizare        Data anunţului în plen	AFET 24.9.2007
Raportor(i)        Data numirii	Adina-Ioana Vălean 10.9.2007
Examinare în comisie	10.9.2007		2.10.2007		9.10.2007
Data adoptării	9.10.2007
Rezultatul votului final	+: –: 0:	25 3 0
Membri titulari prezenţi la votul final	Alexander Alvaro, Philip Bradbourn, Mihael Brejc, Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg, Michael Cashman, Giuseppe Castiglione, Giusto Catania, Jean-Marie Cavada, Elly de Groen-Kouwenhoven, Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra, Kinga Gál, Patrick Gaubert, Roland Gewalt, Lívia Járóka, Ewa Klamt, Barbara Kudrycka, Claude Moraes, Inger Segelström, Károly Ferenc Szabó, Adina-Ioana Vălean, Manfred Weber, Tatjana Ždanoka
Membri supleanţi prezenţi la votul final	Simon Busuttil, Charlotte Cederschiöld, Evelyne Gebhardt, Ona Juknevičienė, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, Eva-Britt Svensson