Written declaration No. 620 | Doc. 14192 | 14 October 2016

Safeguarding human rights and the rule of law in solving the “Jungle of Calais” issue

Signatories: Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL ; Mr Geraint DAVIES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Ute FINCKH-KRÄMER, Germany, SOC ; Ms Miren Edurne GORROTXATEGUI, Spain, UEL ; Mr Matjaž HANŽEK, Slovenia, UEL ; Ms Lotta JOHNSSON FORNARVE, Sweden, UEL ; Mr Ögmundur JÓNASSON, Iceland, UEL ; Ms Filiz KERESTECİOĞLU DEMİR, Turkey, UEL ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Ertuğrul KÜRKÇÜ, Turkey, UEL ; Mr George LOUCAIDES, Cyprus, UEL ; Mr Dirk Van der MAELEN, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Hişyar ÖZSOY, Turkey, UEL ; Mr Georgios PSYCHOGIOS, Greece, UEL ; Ms Ulla SANDBÆK, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Frank SCHWABE, Germany, SOC ; Mr Snorre Serigstad VALEN, Norway, UEL ; Mr Nikolaj VILLUMSEN, Denmark, UEL

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

For several years, the situation in informal refugee camps in and around Calais (“Jungle of Calais” and others) has been characterised by precarious and inhumane living conditions and violence. Thousands of people seeking refuge in Europe and especially in Great Britain, many of them belonging to vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors, are stranded in northern France.

Human rights organisations have repeatedly reported the use of excessive force by the French authorities against asylum seekers, including beatings and the arbitrary and aimless excessive use of tear gas.

We call on the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and the Committee of Ministers to monitor developments closely and to push towards safeguarding all fundamental rights.

We call on the State authorities of France to:

- fulfil their legal obligation to provide humane treatment for migrants, including sufficient legal advice to invoke their rights,

- take effective measures against abuse of power and violence by State authorities and prosecute cases of abuse,

- safeguard human rights and the rule of law in any attempt to solve the aforementioned problems, especially regarding vulnerable groups.

We call on the United Kingdom to allow the applications for asylum of migrants with established connections in the country.