91998E0203

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0203/98 by Gerhard Hager (NI) to the Council (11 February 1998)

Subject: Schengen task force

Recently there have been reports of a 'task force' which will be concerned with measures to improve the Schengen external frontiers. Accordingly, I should like to ask the Council the following questions:

1. What prompted the European Union to set up this task force?

2. Where does the Council feel there are shortcomings in existing checks at external borders?

3. What improvements does the Council expect the new task force to bring about?

4. Does the Council believe that setting up a task force can ensure foolproof checks at land and sea borders?

5. Is the Council of the opinion that the current difficulties are caused solely by problems in national transposition or by shortcomings in the Schengen rules?

6. Does the Council regard the practice of some Member States (detecting illegal immigrants but not ensuring that they subsequently leave the territory of the Union) as running counter to the Union's acquis?

Answer (7 April 1998)

The working party referred to by the Honourable Member (the 'Schengen Task Force') is not a European Union but a Schengen working party. The Council is not competent to reply to the question posed.