Clandestine immigration and the fight against traffickers Recommendation 1467 (2000)

Doc. 9107

31 May 2001

Clandestine immigration and the fight against traffickers

Recommendation 1467 (2000)

Reply from the Committee of Ministers

adopted at the 752^nd meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies ( 16 May 2001)

1. The Committee of Ministers has carefully examined Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1467 (2000) on clandestine immigration and the fight against traffickers and brought the text to the attention of the Governments of member States.

2. The Committee of Ministers joins with the Parliamentary Assembly in condemning trafficking in human beings and underlining the need to combat the root causes of illegal immigration.

3. It draws attention to the terms of its reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1449 (1999), in which it informed the Assembly of the work done by the European Committee on Migration (CDMG) to study the underlying causes of illegal immigration. The CDMG is pursuing effective co-operation between the member states with a view to reducing illegal immigration and combating trafficking in human beings. The findings of its work are being compiled in a report on preventing unlawful migration which is under preparation and may be communicated to the Assembly in due course.

4. The Committee of Ministers attaches great importance to the drafting and implementation of a pan-European strategy to combat clandestine immigration and trafficking in human beings and will make sure that the report “Towards a migration management strategy” recently adopted by the CDMG is taken into account in this connection. The strategy developed proposes a comprehensive approach to the management of migration, and the Committee of Ministers welcomes the action taken on it, in particular the organisation of a conference on preventing unlawful migration and the human dignity of illegal immigrants, due to be held in Athens on 3 and 4 October 2001.

5. The Committee of Ministers wishes to recall the recent adoption of its Recommendation on action against trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation (Rec(2000)11), which contains a number of measures geared at effectively fighting against trafficking, inter alia with a view to facilitating prosecution of traffickers through judicial co-operation.

6. Moreover, as the problem of illegal immigration and the way it is dealt with by the member States have an impact on refugees and asylum seekers, the Committee of Ministers wishes to underline the importance of the intergovernmental co-operation that takes place within the ad hoc Committee of Experts on Legal Aspects of Territorial Asylum, Refugees and Stateless Persons (CAHAR). In this connection, it is worth noting the various Recommendations to member states adopted by the Committee of Ministers in this area, which contribute on a regular basis to member states’ honouring of “their commitments under the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in all circumstances” and, in particular, the implementation of the provisions of Articles 31 and 33. These texts also recognise the importance of being able “to seek and enjoy asylum” or other forms of protection.

7. The Committee of Ministers wishes to assure the Assembly that it will continue to support the implementation of these principles.