Doc. 9299
18 December 2001

Links between Europeans living abroad and their countries of origin

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mrs Aguiar and others

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

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has already devoted its attention to the issue of links between Europeans living abroad and their countries of origin, with the adoption of Resolution 1035 (1994), Order No. 495 (1994) on Europeans living abroad, and Recommendation 1410 (1999) of 26 May 1999. In addition to initiating the above-mentioned texts, the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography also organised a Conference on the links between Europeans living abroad and their countries of origin in Paris in June 1997. In the words of the Assembly, the Conference "highlighted the need for a coherent policy on links between European expatriates and their countries of origin, at both state and European level".

So far no reply to Recommendation 1410 (1999) has been received from the Committee of Ministers.

It is a fact that at present several tens of millions of Europeans are living outside their countries of origin, and that migration within Europe is constantly on the rise. A further increase of the European population living abroad in Europe is to be expected as a result of the prospective enlargement of the European Union and the adoption of more clear legal frameworks for migration in central and eastern Europe.

The Assembly considers that it is necessary and timely to follow up on how member states have replied to the invitations contained in Recommendation 1410 (1999), and namely whether they have:

–       taken due account of the phenomenon of expatriation in their emigration policies;

–       undertaken a survey of nationals living abroad;

–       drawn up a description of the respective situation of expatriates, with a view to co-ordinating and harmonising policies on expatriation at European level;

–       drawn up specific legal frameworks to protect expatriates.

Signed : ¹

Aguiar, Portugal, EPP/CD

Branger, France, EPP/CD

Bušić, Croatia, EPP/CD

Cilevičs, Latvia, SOC

Connor, Ireland, EPP/CD

Danieli, Italy, LDR

Hancock, United Kingdom, LDR

Libicki, Poland, EDG

Lörcher, Germany, SOC

Nessa, Italy, EPP/CD

Shakhtakhtinskaya, Azerbaijan, EDG

Slutsky, Russia, SOC

Stoisits, Austria, SOC

Szinyei, Hungary, EPP/CD

Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC

Yáñez–Barnuevo, Spain, SOC

Zapfl-Helbling, Switzerland, EPP/CD

de Zulueta, Italy, 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