05/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - Last Wednesday the European Parliament followed its rapporteur Adeline Hazan (a Socialist from France) and rejected an Italian initiative to organise “joint flights for the removal of illegal immigrants”. Since the Council supports the text, it will automatically be referred back to the Commission. Ms Hazan, while pleased with the results of the vote because “collective repatriations are a very questionable practice which should only be used in exceptional circumstances”, she condemned the fact that consultation with the Parliament is only a formality in this type of issue. The proposal provides for collective removal of illegal immigrants present in two or more Member States.