EU funding of barriers, fences or other physical border protection structures such as walls

25.6.2021

Question for written answer  E-003322/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Charlie Weimers (ECR), Jessica Stegrud (ECR), Laura Huhtasaari (ID), Peter Kofod (ID), Jorge Buxadé Villalba (ECR), Hermann Tertsch (ECR), Rob Rooken (ECR), Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR), Nicolaus Fest (ID), Maximilian Krah (ID), Guido Reil (ID), Tom Vandendriessche (ID), Marco Campomenosi (ID), Jaak Madison (ID), Dorien Rookmaker (NI)

In its answer to a previous written question[1], the Commission stated that it ‘does not provide EU-financial assistance for the construction of barriers or fences’[2].

• 1.Can the Commission clarify whether it is permissible for EU funds to be used to erect physical barriers, at sea or on land, at the external border?
• 2.According to media reports, the Commission is co-funding a Spanish plan to bolster border security in Ceuta and Melilla. Can it clarify which budget line and programme is being used to co-fund this project, as well as how the funds are being spent – specifically whether the construction of physical border barriers is being funded by the EU[3][4][5]?
• 3.If the Commission is not already financing border barriers or planning to do so, will it look into this possibility and clarify which, if any, legal changes would be required for physical border barriers to be funded from the EU budget?

• [1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-000800-ASW_EN.html
• [2] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2020-000800-ASW_EN.html
• [3] https://www.politico.eu/article/morocco-uses-migrants-to-get-what-it-wants/
• [4] https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/serviciosdeprensa/notasprensa/interior/Paginas/2019/151119-ceutaymelilla.aspx
• [5] https://web.archive.org/web/20200923202554/https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/consejodeministros/Paginas/enlaces/180119-enlaceceutaymelill.aspx