(Carta intestata dell’Associazione/Organizzazione)

Mr. Romano Prodi

President of the European Commission

Rue de la Loi, 175

B - 1048 Bruxelles

BELGIUM

(Luogo e data)

To the attention of Mr. Romano Prodi

President of the European Commission

Object : Appeal against humiliating chartered flights after JHA council

During the last informal JHA Council of 22 and 23 January 2004, the Irish presidency suggested that member states start pilot projects of joint flights or “charter flights” to expel irregular migrants. But the European Parliament has not yet given an opinion on the organisation of European "charter flights".

These proposals, which have not been democratically controlled or scrutinised are not legitimate.

They demonstrate the wilful blindness of European institutions to the reality of expulsion. By referring to the possible targeting of specific destinations of expulsion, the Union reveals the discriminatory and humiliating aspect of this means of expulsion.

By offering to finance these joint return operations with community funds, the European Commission endorses the principle of mass expulsion, thereby going beyond its competencies and betraying the spirit of the European Convention on Human Rights which prohibits collective expulsions.

Instead of promoting a policy doomed to failure, the European Commission should be playing its role in suggesting other ways to solve immigration challenges, as did M. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations in his press conference addressed to the European Parliament.

Organisations from European and African countries, individuals, European and national representatives have expressed their firm opposition to this “charter flights” policy. We are also asking the European Parliament to represent European citizens' voices and to oppose these drifts.

Firma