Brussels, 25/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Socialist and Greens/EFA Groups at the European Parliament do not support the compromise reached on the returns directive relating to the detention and expulsion of foreigners in an irregular situation in member states. The rapporteur on the text, Manfred Weber of Germany (EPP-ED), nonetheless welcomed the result reached during the trilogue, on 23 April, which had put an end to lengthy negotiations (EUROPE 9650). “I did not give my agreement on the compromise and it cannot be supported as it is by my group”, said Martine Roure (PES, France) in a press release. “We have serious reserves about many aspects of the text, especially regarding the duration of detention”, she added. Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, Britain), for his part, said that his group called for “shorter limits of detention” compared to the threshold fixed (6 months except for certain special derogations) and that the 5-year period for the ban on entry to the territory by persons having already been expelled by force was to remain “an exception”. As things stand, these two groups and probably also that of the GUE/NGL, should not call for a vote in favour of the compromise, on 4 June in Strasbourg. The shadow rapporteur from ALDE on this text, Jannine Hennis-Plasschaert (NL), continued to point out that eight member states do not apply any limit for the detention of unlawful immigrants. “It therefore considers that the 6-month limit is already an improvement”, an ALDE spokesman said. This position does not, however, prejudge the official position held by the group, which seems quite complex, an observer said. (B.C.)