Doc. 8861
6 October 2000

Receiving conditions and capacities in European seaports for asylum seekers

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Gross and others

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

1. Since the mid-1980s, Council of Europe member States have been increasingly confronted with growing numbers of asylum seekers. Besides the deep concern of the root causes of this phenomenon, a crucial and urgent issue for the harmonisation of asylum policies at European level is the protection of asylum seekers at the moment of their arrival at a port-of-entry in a country, may it be an airport, a seaport or a border crossing. A coherent and sustain policy in this field still remains an aim to be pursued.

2. The Assembly adopted a report and recommendation on the arrival of asylum seekers at European airports during its fourth part session in September 2000 and took note that the reception conditions have considerably improved since the first debate in the Assembly in 1991, but that still serious shortcomings can be observed in some countries.

3. The Assembly recognises that only the most fortunate asylum seekers arrive by air in the country where they seek for asylum. The great majority of them arrive by other means, mostly by land or by sea.

4. Considering this difference in the scale, the quality of the reception conditions and capacities and the respect of minimum standards of asylum seeker's protection may not be guaranteed in the very numerous seaports at the European coasts, where often thousands of asylum seekers arrive every year.

5. The Assembly accordingly decides:

a. to pursue the monitoring of the humanitarian conditions of asylum seekers in European airports and to initiate a similar process as regards the European seaports;

b. to make an extensive study on:

i.       the access to asylum procedure,

ii.       the duration of determination procedures,

iii.       the conditions of reception,

iv.       the condition of detention, as well as

v.       the conditions of deportation

of asylum seekers at European seaports.

Signed : ⁱ

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Besostri, Italy, SOC

Briane, France, EPP/CD

Cryer, United Kingdom, SOC

Graas, Luxemburg, LDR

Hadjidemetriou, Cyprus, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Kovalev S., Russia, LDR

Kurykin, Ukraine, NR

Nedelciuc, Moldova, LDR

Plattner, Switzerland, SOC

Pozza Tasca, Italy, LDR

Wojcik, Poland, EPP/CD