Doc. 8859
6 October 2000

Adoption of a charter of intent against clandestine migration

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mrs Pozza Tasca and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

The Assembly,

1.       Considering that the landing of clandestine migrants on the Italian coasts continues uninterrupted: in the last eight months in the Calabria Region alone, old ships and decaying trawlers – so-called floating jalopies (carrette del mare) – have deposited some 4 500 migrants of various nationalities, forced to voyage in inhuman conditions that make a mockery of the most elementary human rights;

2.       Recognising that unaccompanied children increasingly form part of these cargoes: at one of the most recent landings, that of 12 August, out of 245 clandestine migrants about a hundred were children, and according to official figures about one thousand children have arrived in recent months;

3.       Noting that at the cost of enormous financial sacrifices and often of their own safety, these clandestine migrants place their fate in the hands of traffickers – unscrupulous men who are usually linked to international criminal organisations;

4.       Having established that the cost of transit for clandestine migrants from their countries of origin to their destinations is two to three times the price of normal transport between the same locations;

5.       Considering that, because of its particular geographical position, Italy constitutes an almost obligatory staging post for travelling to Europe, and that it is therefore only right that Europe should also monitor closely the serious problem of clandestine migration that is afflicting the Italian coasts;

6.       Noting that the political undertakings and declarations concerning trafficking in human beings have not yet been translated adequately into harmonised criminal legislation in the different states;

7.       Noting that the absence of specific regulations on trafficking in persons, the differences between legal systems and the lack of co-operation between police forces in the countries of origin, transit and destination allow traffickers to operate with impunity;

8.       Considering that the Council of Europe, in its Recommendation 1211 (1993), Recommendation 1325 (1997) and, most recently, Recommendation 1449 (2000) on clandestine migration from the south of the Mediterranean into Europe has drawn states' attention to the need for a more responsible policy on controlling migration and for greater co-operation in combating the trafficking of persons,

9.       Therefore recommends that the Committee of Ministers adopt a charter of intent against clandestine migration and trafficking in persons by criminal organisations, which would commit signatory countries to:

i.       the monitoring of clandestine migration and other forms of illegal trafficking;

ii.       the harmonisation of legislation in the criminal field and on judicial co-operation;

iii.       co-operation between and the encouragement and strengthening of networks and partnerships between the police and judicial authorities;

iv.       the revision of asylum policies;

v.       the strengthening of penalties for traffickers in human beings;

vi.       the suspension of financial aid for governments that fail to co-operate in action to combat trafficking in human beings;

Signed : ¹

Pozza Tasca, Italy, LDR       Gnaga, Italy, EDG

Alis Font, Andorra, SOC       Lupu, Romania, EPP/CD

Arnau, Spain, SOC       Mattei, France, LDR

Baciu, Romania, SOC       Mignon, France, EDG

Belohorska, Slovakia, EDG       Polenta, Italy, EPP/CD

Bockel, France, SOC       Squarcialupi, Italy, SOC

Briane, France, EPP/CD       Stanoiu, Romania, SOC

Brunetti, Italy, UEL

Ehrman, France, LDR

Evin, France, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group