Application of Relocation Decisions 2015/1523 and 2015/1601 ahead of their expiration date (26 September 2017)

Question for written answer
to the Commission
Rule 130

E-005767/2017

Subject: Application of Relocation Decisions 2015/1523 and 2015/1601 ahead of their expiration date (26 September 2017)

Rule 130
Barbara Spinelli (GUE/NGL), Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL), Sofia Sakorafa (GUE/NGL), Josef Weidenholzer (S&D), Bart Staes (Verts/ALE), Bronis Ropė (Verts/ALE), Alfred Sant (S&D), Laura Ferrara (EFDD), Josep-Maria Terricabras (Verts/ALE), Stelios Kouloglou (GUE/NGL), Kostas Chrysogonos (GUE/NGL), Elly Schlein (S&D), Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE/NGL), Eleonora Evi (EFDD), Stefan Eck (GUE/NGL), Sylvie Guillaume (S&D), Benedek Jávor (Verts/ALE), Eva Joly (Verts/ALE), Sergio Gaetano Cofferati (S&D), Norica Nicolai (ALDE), Elena Valenciano (S&D), Claude Rolin (PPE), Josu Juaristi Abaunz (GUE/NGL), Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL), Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD), Andrejs Mamikins (S&D), Tanja Fajon (S&D), Hilde Vautmans (ALDE), Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D), Nessa Childers (S&D), Miguel Urbán Crespo (GUE/NGL), Neoklis Sylikiotis (GUE/NGL), Gabriele Zimmer (GUE/NGL), Ana Gomes (S&D), Ernest Urtasun (Verts/ALE), Takis Hadjigeorgiou (GUE/NGL), Nicola Caputo (S&D), Tania González Peñas (GUE/NGL), Julie Ward (S&D), Javier Nart (ALDE), Ramon Tremosa i Balcells (ALDE), Mady Delvaux (S&D), Nathalie Griesbeck (ALDE), Sabine Lösing (GUE/NGL), Jordi Solé (Verts/ALE), Soraya Post (S&D), Dietmar Köster (S&D), Molly Scott Cato (Verts/ALE), Ivan Jakovčić (ALDE), Kostadinka Kuneva (GUE/NGL), Barbara Lochbihler (Verts/ALE), Nikolaos Chountis (GUE/NGL), Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL) and José Inácio Faria (PPE)
Subject: Application of Relocation Decisions 2015/1523 and 2015/1601 ahead of their expiration date (26 September 2017)
In a judgment of 6 September 2017, the European Court of Justice dismissed the actions brought by Slovakia and Hungary to challenge relocation, noting that ‘the lack of cooperation on the part of certain Member States’ is the leading cause of the small number of relocations of international protection seekers.
A paper published by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) entitled ‘Relocation not Procrastination’ concludes that political and legal resistance to the relocation of international protection seekers has manifestations ‘ranging from prohibitive preferences expressed by some Member States to severe delays in pledging relocation places as well as in processing and providing offers by Italy and Greece’[1].
The expiration date (26 September 2017) for the application of Relocation Decisions 2015/1523 and 2015/1601 is now close.
1. Does the Commission plan to launch other infringement proceedings against non-complying Member States?
2. Does the Commission intend to revise the Dublin returns to Italy and Greece, prioritising the solidarity elements of the relocations?
3. Given that in September 2015 President Juncker announced a permanent relocation mechanism under the Dublin system and that in May 2017 Parliament asked the Commission to present a new relocation proposal pending the reform of the Dublin system, why has Commissioner Avramopoulos stated that the Commission will not present new proposals for relocation?

EN E-005767/2017 Answer given by Mr Avramopoulos on behalf of the Commission (29.11.2017)
Since January 2017, most Member States have been pledging on a monthly basis, while the Council Decisions [2] only require at least every three months, and relocating regularly[3]. Moreover, the number of people eligible for relocation turned out to be much lower. Three Member States have not relocated anyone since the start of the scheme (Hungary and Poland) or for more than a year (the Czech Republic) either from Italy or Greece and the Commission launched infringement procedures against them [4].

The Commission does not intend to change its policy on Dublin transfers back to Italy and Greece.

The Commission does not consider it opportune to present a new relocation proposal. The first priority is to relocate all those eligible applicants who were present in Italy and Greece as of 26 September 2017 as soon as possible. Moreover, the Commission cannot continue to rely on ad-hoc measures. A reformed Dublin system is the only structural solution. Urgent progress leading to political agreement on this file is needed. However, the Commission, acknowledging that the migratory pressure on Italy and Greece remains high, has expressed its readiness to continue its support to Member States who continue relocation from Greece and Italy beyond the current schemes [5].

[2] Council Decision (EU) 2015/1523 of 14 September 2015 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and of Greece (OJ L 239, 15.9.2015, p.146) and Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601 of 22 September 2015 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece (OJ L 248, 24.9.2015, p.80).
[3] Progress made, particularly in 2017, in the implementation of the scheme in the regular reports on relocation and resettlement, the latest of which (the 15th report) was adopted on 6 September 2017 COM(2017) 465 final. Some Member States have already relocated their allocation for either Italy or Greece or are close to doing so. With its transfers in September, Finland became the first Member State to fulfil its allocation for Italy.
[4] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1607_en.htm; http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-2103_en.htm.
[5] Communication on the Delivery of the European Agenda on Migration- COM(2017) 558 final.

Suġġett: Applikazzjoni tad-Deċiżjonijiet ta’ Rilokazzjoni 2015/1523 u 2015/1601 qabel id-data tal-iskadenza tagħhom (is-26 ta’ Settembru 2017)
Tweġiba(iet)
F’sentenza tas-6 ta’ Settembru 2017, il-Qorti Ewropea tal-Ġustizzja ċaħdet ir-rikorsi mressqa mis-Slovakkja u l-Ungerija biex jikkontestaw ir-rilokazzjoni, filwaqt li nnotat li “n-nuqqas ta’ kooperazzjoni min-naħa ta’ ċerti Stati Membri” hija l-kawża ewlenija tan-numru żgħir ta’ rilokazzjonijiet ta’ persuni li qed ifittxu protezzjoni internazzjonali.

Dokument maħruġ mill-Kunsill Ewropew għar-Rifuġjati u l-Eżiljati (ECRE) bit-titolu “Rilokazzjoni u mhux Prokrastinazzjoni” jasal għall-konklużjoni li reżistenza politika u legali għar-rilokazzjoni tal-persuni li qed ifittxu protezzjoni internazzjonali għandha manifestazzjonijiet “li jvarjaw minn preferenzi projbittivi espressi minn xi Stati Membri għal dewmien serju fil-wegħda ta’ postijiet ta’ rilokazzjoni kif ukoll fl-ipproċessar u fil-forniment ta’ offerti mill-Italja u l-Greċja”(1).

Id-data tal-iskadenza (is-26 ta’ Settembru 2017) għall-applikazzjoni tad-Deċiżjonijiet ta’ Rilokazzjoni 2015/1523 u 2015/1601 issa tinsab fil-qrib.

1. Il-Kummissjoni biħsiebha tniedi proċedimenti ta’ ksur oħra kontra l-Istati Membri li ma jikkonformawx?

2. Il-Kummissjoni għandha l-intenzjoni li tirrevedi s-sistema Dublin ta’ ripatrijazzjoni lejn l-Italja u l-Greċja, filwaqt li tipprijoritizza l-elementi ta’ solidarjetà tar-rilokazzjonijiet?

3. Fid-dawl tal-fatt li, f’Settembru 2015, il-President Juncker ħabbar mekkaniżmu ta’ rilokazzjoni permanenti skont is-sistema Dublin u li f’Mejju 2017 il-Parlament talab lill-Kummissjoni tressaq proposta ġdida ta’ rilokazzjoni sakemm isseħħ ir-riforma tas-sistema Dublin, għaliex il-Kummissarju Avarmopoulos iddikjara li l-Kummissjoni mhix se tressaq proposti ġodda għar-rilokazzjoni?

(1) https://www.ecre.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Policy-Note-07.pdf

MT E-005767/2017 Tweġiba mogħtija mis-Sur Avramopoulos f’isem il-Kummissjoni (29.11.2017)
Minn Jannar 2017 ‘il hawn, ħafna mill-Istati Membri kienu qed jimpenjaw ruħhom fuq bażi ta’ kull xahar, filwaqt li d-Deċiżjonijiet tal-Kunsill [1] biss jesiġu mill-inqas kull tliet xhur, u kien qed jirrilokaw b’mod regolari [2]. Barra minn hekk, l-għadd ta’ persuni eliġibbli għar-rilokazzjoni kien ħafna aktar baxx milli mistenni. Tliet Stati Membri għadhom ma rrilokaw lil ħadd mill-bidu tal-iskema (l-Ungerija u l-Polonja) jew għal aktar minn sena (ir-Repubblika Ċeka), jew mill-Italja jew mill-Greċja u l-Kummissjoni nediet proċeduri ta’ ksur kontrihom [3].

Il-Kummissjoni ma għandhiex l-intenzjoni li tbiddel il-politika tagħha dwar it-trasferimenti ta’ Dublin lura lejn l-Italja u l-Greċja.

Il-Kummissjoni ma tqisx li huwa opportun li tippreżenta proposta ġdida ta’ rilokazzjoni. L-ewwel prijorità hija li jiġu rilokati mill-aktar fis possibbli dawk l-applikanti kollha eliġibbli li kienu preżenti fl-Italja u l-Greċja mis-26 ta’ Settembru 2017. Barra minn hekk, il-Kummissjoni ma tistax tkompli tistrieħ fuq miżuri ad hoc. L-unika soluzzjoni strutturali hija sistema riformata ta’ Dublin. Huwa meħtieġ progress urġenti li jwassal għal ftehim politiku dwar din il-materja. Madankollu, il-Kummissjoni, filwaqt li tirrikonoxxi li l-pressjoni migratorja fuq l-Italja u l-Greċja għadha għolja, esprimiet ir-rieda tagħha li tkompli bl-appoġġ tagħha lill-Istati Membri li jkomplu r-rilokazzjoni mill-Greċja u l-Italja lil hinn l-iskemi attwali [4].

[1] Id-Deċiżjoni tal-Kunsill (UE) 2015/1523 tal-14 ta’ Settembru 2015 li tistabbilixxi miżuri proviżorji fil-qasam tal-protezzjoni internazzjonali għall-benefiċċju tal-Italja u tal-Greċja (ĠU L 239, 15.9.2015, p. 146) u d-Deċiżjoni tal-Kunsill (UE) 2015/1601 tat-22 ta’ Settembru 2015 li tistabbilixxi miżuri proviżorji fil-qasam tal-protezzjoni internazzjonali għall-benefiċċju tal-Italja u tal-Greċja (ĠU L 248, 24.9.2015, p. 80).
[2] Il-progress li sar, b’mod partikolari fl-2017, fl-implimentazzjoni tal-iskema fir-rapporti regolari dwar ir-rilokazzjoni u r-risistemazzjoni, li l-aħħar wieħed minnhom (il-ħmistax-il rapport) ġie adottat fit-6 ta’ Settembru 2017 (COM(2017) 465 final. Xi Stati Membri diġà rrilokaw l-allokazzjoni tagħhom jew għall-Italja jew għall-Greċjas jew huma fil-qrib li jaghmlu dan. Bit-trasferimenti tagħha f’Settembru, il-Finlandja saret l-ewwel Stat Membru li ssodisfa l-allokazzjoni tiegħu għall-Italja.
[3] http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1607_en.htm; http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-2103_en.htm.
[4] Komunikazzjoni dwar it-Twettiq tal-Aġenda Ewropea dwar il-Migrazzjoni – COM(2017) 558 final.