The June vote by the full House is necessary as under the codecision procedure parliament and the Council have equal legislative weight. A group of MEPs have been negotiating the text with the Council over the past few months to reach a compromise.
What a possible compromise deal could consist of
A possible deal - which is being brokered by the Slovenian Presidency of the EU - could be along the following lines: Namely, it would establish a fixed period for voluntary departure after which an expulsion order applies. It could also say that immigrants could be held for up to 6 months with a possible extension of a further 12 months - countries that have shorter detention periods will be able to keep them. In addition it could be that those who are expelled will not be allowed to enter any of the 27 EU states for 5 years.
In terms of human rights and protecting people when they are in custody, then any deal may include measures to ensure that living accommodation should take into account those with families and children. Access to health services would also be guaranteed for those in need. Finally, NGOs are expected to play a role in returning people to their place of origin.
MEPs differ on way forward
In the seminar MEPs set out their views to assembled journalists with clear divergences of views emerging. Parliament's rapporteur on the issue is German MEP Manfred Weber (EPP-ED). He told the seminar that "we have to free these people from their illegal situation". He said that "States have to decide what they are going to do with these illegal immigrants, either they give them legal residence permits (as some have done) and render them legal or send them back". He called the "current situation of illegality the most inhumane and degrading situation that you can imagine, so we have to put an end to it".
However, the mooted compromise met sharp opposition from Italian MEP Claudio Fava on behalf of the Socialist PES group and his fellow countryman Giusto Catania for the GUE/NGL group. They saw it as depriving immigrants of their personal freedom and applying prison punishment to them for administrative breaches. British Green MEP Jean Lambert also expressed concerns over the proposal, for example regarding transit countries and the re-entry ban.
Dutch Liberal MEP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert told the seminar that "the compromise is not perfect but an important step forward" stressing that there is need for common EU legislation in this field to tackle illegal immigration. Italy's Mario Borghezio for the UEN also supported the proposed compromise between the parliament and the Council.
Delicate negotiations will continue with the parliament due to debate and vote on a final agreement when it meets in Strasbourg for its June session.
Source: European Parliament
