Doc. 10615
23 June 2005

Unexpected large scale arrivals of migrants and potential refugees in Lampedusa (Italy) in June 2005

Written Declaration No 368

This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it

      According to new reports, a larger number of people have arrived on the island of Lampedusa and in Sicily over the last few days.

Against a limited capacity of approximately 180 persons in the Lampedusa facility, the total number of persons accommodated there has risen with the new arrivals to roughly 850.

Concerns arise about:

-       the physical conditions in which persons are being accommodated and the response capacity of the authorities to deal with larger numbers which remains inadequate apart from the capacity of the facility;

-       whether all individuals wishing to place an asylum claim have access to asylum procedures. The speed required in processing larger numbers of people cannot be at the expense of a fair and effective asylum procedure.

To ensure that all arrivals are treated in accordance with international human rights and refugee standards, we, the undersigned, request the Italian authorities to ensure that:

1.       full access to asylum processes is given to all concerned ;

2.       UNHCR as well as relevant NGOs be given regular access to the point of arrivals regardless of the relative concentration of new arrivals in the centres at any one time to confirm that their most urgent needs are met.

Signed: ¹

• ALIYEV, Bakhtiyar, Azerbaijan, SOC
• AGRAMUNT, Pedro, Spain, EPP/CD
• BRANGER, Jean-Guy, France, EPP/CD
• CRYER, Ann, United Kingdom, SOC
• ERR, Lydie, Luxembourg, SOC
• ETHERINGTON, Bill, United Kingdom, SOC
• GÜLÇIÇEK, Ali Riza, Turkey, SOC
• HANCOCK, Michael, United Kingdom, LDR
• HOFFMANN, Jelena, Germany, SOC
• KATSELI, Eleonora, Greece, SOC
• KUŽVART, Miloš, Czech Republic, SOC
• LAMBERT, Geert, Belgium, SOC
• NEGELE, Gebhard, Liechtenstein, NR
• OSKINA, Vera, Russia, EDG
• ØSTERGAARD, Morten, Denmark, LDR
• ÖZAL, İbrahim, Turkey, EPP/CD
• REYMANN, Marc, France, EPP/CD
• SHAKHTAKHTINSKAYA, Naira, Azerbaijan, EDG
• SKARPHÉÐINSSON, Össur, Iceland, SOC
• WILKINSON, John, United Kingdom, EDG

__________________________

Total = 20

¹        SOC: Socialist Group
      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group