WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3929/97 by Florus WIJSENBEEK to the Commission. Freight freeways for the transport of goods by road
16. 6. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 187/93 (98/C 187/140) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3928/97 by Giampaolo DíAndrea (PPE), Pierluigi Castagnetti (PPE), Antonio Graziani (PPE), Gerardo Bianco (PPE) and Maria Colombo Svevo (PPE) to the Commission (12 December 1997) Subject: Illegal immigration In recent times there has been a huge increase in the number of illegal immigrants, most of them Kurds, attempting to enter the EU through Italy in what amounts to an exodus from areas in the grip of ethnic conflicts, where, there can be no doubt, human rights are being trampled underfoot. What action does the European Union intend to take with a view to both stemming the flow and helping to ensure respect for the rights of such ethnic minorities, thus enabling them to lead a life of dignity? Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (10 February 1997) The Conclusions of the Luxembourg European Council referred to the massive influx of immigrants, in particular from Iraq (1). The Council was requested to prepare and implement an action plan which would also take account of the causes of the influx, of which humanitarian aspects and human rights are an integral part. The plan will outline external relations measures to be taken by the European Union and will also contain a justice and home affairs component, covering in particular the asylum and immigration aspects. The Commission is actively involved in drawing up the action plan in all the bodies concerned. In 1997 it presented two proposals relating to this matter which are still under study in the Council. In March 1997, it presented a proposal for joint action on the temporary protection of displaced persons, on which Parliament was consulted (2); this would provide an appropriate legal framework for people in need of temporary international protection. In July 1997, it presented a proposal for a joint action introducing the Odysseus programme of training, exchanges and cooperation in the field of asylum, immigration and crossing of external borders (3), on which Parliament was also consulted, under which targeted measures both between Member States and transit countries can be set up. (1) Para. 64. (2) OJ C 106, 4. 4. 1997. (3) OJC 267, 3. 9. 1997. (98/C 187/141) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3929/97 by Florus Wijsenbeek (ELDR) to the Commission (12 December 1997) Subject: Freight freeways for the transport of goods by road Is the Commission aware that there are at present 16 European countries with 50 different sets of rules concerning bans on driving and that these bans mean that shipping and transport firms incur considerable costs? Is the Commission of the opinion that a lot of the existing bans often have a discriminatory effect, and that they may constitute an obstacle to the freedom of movement of goods in the European Union? If so, will the Commission make efforts to ensure the creation of harmonized rules concerning driving bans at EU and European level, with agreements to prevent the undesirable proliferation of regional and national schemes?