92001E2748

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2748/01

by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(9 October 2001)

Subject: Loopholes in Schengen checks

The police in Södermalm, Stockholm, report that in the summer of 2001 a number of individuals were caught who had entered the Schengen area via Paris but without entry stamps in their passports. For example, a policeman stopped two people from Chile who had flown from Santiago via Paris to Arlanda airport by Air France. They only had exit stamps from Santiago. One of them had been barred from entry to the Schengen area. At the checkpoints in Arlanda there have also been cases of US citizens arriving in Sweden via Paris without having been checked at Charles de Gaulle airport.

According to information obtained by the Stockholm police, Paris and Milan lack both the staff, equipment and procedures to comply with the Schengen agreement. It is quite likely that international criminals have noted and exploited this fact.

What is the Commission doing to deal with this problem?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(29 October 2001)

The Commission has no knowledge of the incidents reported by the Honourable Member.

It will contact the Swedish authorities for further details so that it is fully briefed before raising the matter with the French and Italian authorities.