Brussels, 05/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - EU parliamentarians (from the EP and the Member State parliaments) and twelve countries of the Mediterranean basin discussed, on 14 February in Brussels, European policy in terms of emigration, trying to initiate a joint approach both on the hosting conditions and support as well as in terms of the conditions for access and stays. In the background, they also looked into ways of fighting against illegal immigration. The talks took place in the framework of the 'working group on migration issues and human exchanges,' created during the last session of the Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary forum, in Bari in June 2002, which recommended the development of a joint text (the parliamentary forum, which in the medium-term should become a joint parliamentary assembly, remains without procedures or decision-making mechanisms) in view of the next session, next March in Crete.
The meeting of the working group, co-chaired by Jorge Hernandez Mollar and Abdelwahad Radi, President of the Moroccan House of Representatives, unfolded in the absence of most of the northern EU countries, in particular the United Kingdom, nevertheless considered a key country in this delicate dossier on immigration. Similar dissatisfaction came from the countries of the eastern Mediterranean (Mashraq, Israel and Palestine and in particular Turkey, another significant country, sometimes represented by an observer diplomat). The problem is serious, it is as old as the world, since men set borders between themselves, and the boundaries are often imposed by democratically elected governments, stated Mr Hernandez Mollar, to signify the inescapability of visa policies. The new rules under 'Schengen' on the approval of visas was seen by the MPs from the southern Mediterranean as contradictory with the desire to regulate migratory flows without barriers to human exchanges (civil society, businessmen, journalists and intellectuals, etc.).
Migration calls for a coordinated action (…) a shared responsibility, asserted Mr Hernandez Mollar and the theme was illustrated by the experiences presented by the parliamentarians of the present or former departure countries (Italy, France, Spain). A consensus was reached on the need to end a taboo: quotas. Tunisia emphasised its experience, namely the bilateral agreements with Italy, Austria and soon Spain with which it was agreed to respond to requests for labour with offers of supported and linguistically, and sometimes technically trained personnel, before emigration is authorised. Egypt also hoped that a joint effort be made for providing this support. Morocco outlined its contacts with destination countries for the establishment of regulation and control policies, as well as with transit countries.
All the participants insisted on the fight against illegal immigration and especially against smuggling networks. The MEP Giovanni Fava (DS) explained: as a Sicilian, I have a ring side seat. He hoped that European citizenship be granted to all residents.
The European Commission, through one of its civil servants, recalled the political and institutional context in which it perceives its mission in this field (decisions by the European Councils in Tampere and Seville), and underlined that it intends to resolve this complex problem through dialogue at all levels. Participants spoke of the discussions within the Barcelona process around a draft joint text on internal affairs and justice, which will probably be submitted to the next ministerial meeting, in April in Greece. The aim, at the European level, is to achieve a common admission's policy. The Commission also counts on the new MEDASTAT statistical instrument to better understand the actual situation