1. News on Undocumented Migration

EUROPE

1. The European Commission is currently preparing a Communication on clandestine immigration, expected to be tabled by the end of October or beginning of November. While the contents are not yet known, the Commission is expected to recommend an EU-wide action plan for dealing with irregular immigration.  The Commission is likely to stress the need to fight against undeclared work, which is a significant factor in contributing to irregular immigration. It will also refer to border control and possible plans for a pan-European border guard service.  The paper is also likely to set out proposals for the return of migrants with irregular status who have no right to remain on EU territory.

2. The Belgian Presidency of the European Commission is organising on 16 and 17 October a ministerial conference on migration in Brussels. The Comité contre la faim et pour le développement (Committee against Hunger and for Development - France) - that is working on strengthening the role of solidarity groups on migration in the implementation of France’s cooperation policy - was invited to participate in the preparations of the conference. The conference’s main objective is to start a political debate on the general theme of migration, on what is at stake and on the implications for member states, for future member states and for the countries of origin. It will be a matter of identifying the issues and subjects that will sooner or later arise in the context of a mutual immigration policy”. The four chosen themes are: management of the migration flows, mutual policy on economic migration, partnership with the countries of origin and integration. The contact person for CCFD, Adelino De Sousa, can be reached at a.desousa@ccfd.asso.fr

3. The Euro Med Civil Forum will be held in Brussels on October 19-20, 2001 in preparation of the Ministerial Euro Med Partnership meeting under the Belgian EU leadership. Migration is one of the three main issues on the NGO agenda. For information about the upcoming Euro Med Civil Forum, please contact Ms. Greta van Bempt at greta.alegre@freebel.net . A web site will be launched soon.

4. The Council of Europe is organising a Conference on 3 and 4 October in Athens on ‘Irregular Migration in the Mediterranean and the Dignity of Migrants”.

GERMANY

Draft German Aliens Bill creates more undocumented migrants : The draft Aliens Bill recently presented by the German Minister of the Interior, Mr. Otto Schily, does not alleviate the situation of undocumented migrants in his country. Instead, under this Bill tens of thousands asylum seekers whose residence is now being ‘tolerated’ (Duldung) would probably become illegal residents.

Undocumented migrants in Germany are not entitled to medical assistance and legal counselling. The governmental migration committee that, under the presidency of Ms. Rita Süssmuth (CDU), presented its report earlier last summer did not contain proposals for improving this situation. It did however propose that children of ‘illegal’ residents should have the opportunity of going to school without being denounced by the school director (at present school directors should report them to the local Aliens Police). Persons or organisations assisting ‘illegal’ residents for humanitarian reasons should no longer be prosecuted and penalised. In Mr. Schily’s draft Aliens Bill these proposals of the migration committee do not appear.

An important aspect of the report of the Süssmuth committee is the idea of annual quota for admitting labour migration from abroad. Under the present ‘green card system’ several thousands of specialised workers from non-EU countries have been allowed into the country on a temporary basis. Employers organisations urge for more of them. However, in the draft Bill the idea of quota is left out but admittance of new ‘guestworkers’ is not excluded. Interestingly, neither the report not the draft bill consider the possibility of recruiting among the huge number of capable but jobless asylum seekers and illegalised immigrants.

The draft Bill apparently has been written in an attempt to obtain support by the opposition parties in Parliament who had  criticised the report of the Süssmuth committee. However, the draft is receiving increasing criticism from CDU/CSU and FDP, while the Green Party – one of the coalition partners – intends to present many amendments to it. It is therefore highly uncertain whether the Government will be able to reconcile the various sides and come with a Bill that is acceptable for all. (for an overview of the present debate see i.a. Migration Newssheet, Brussels, no. 222 of Sept. 2001)

BELGIUM

·         The Belgian Commission for regularisation (see previous PICUM Newsletter) has been urged several times to work faster the last months. All members of this Commission however declared that a qualitative and equal treatment of all files should prevail on a fast and careless finish for political reasons. New members for the Chambers have been appointed, showing a readiness, also from the NGO side, to finish the files instead of needless retarding.

·         The Support Centre for People Without Papers will set up an experimental project with a ‘residence booklet’ for undocumented migrants. This booklet will allow migrants to carefully register their stay in Belgium, facilitating the submitting of proofs of stay if requested in a future regularisation procedure. At the same time this ‘residence booklet’ is a useful instrument for providers of help. The project starts on 1 December 2001, and will cover the Brussels Municipal District. More info on steunpunt.mzp.bru@wanadoo.be

·         The Flemish Government will discuss the possibility of putting an extra budget of 1.611.343 euro at the disposal of reception centres for unaccompanied minors who didn’t claim asylum or whose asylum claim is rejected. At this moment there is one specialised reception centre ('T HUIS in Aalst) having 15 places for undocumented children en youngsters.  The aim is to be able to provide 45 places in the future. The discussion on this extra budget comes in answer to a question of the Youth Welfare Work in the Flemish Community and of the Commissariat for Children’s rights.

THE NETHERLANDS

2. PICUM NEWS

PICUM projects:

·         Since mid-June PICUM has its own website. Please visit us at www.PICUM.org

·         In August, PICUM started its ‘Book of Solidarity’ Project. This project aims at supporting and encouraging citizens and citizens’ organisations providing humanitarian support to undocumented migrants. The book of solidarity will render visible the manifold ways humanitarian support is given by social institutions, private organisations, organisations of volunteers and persons in European countries. In this way PICUM wants to present a solid ethical and legal basis for these various ways of humanitarian support so that the latter will not be discouraged, forbidden or penalised.

PICUM Publication:

·         PICUM published a booklet as a result of the Experts Seminar on access to Health Care that took place on 22 and 23 March 2001. Representatives of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Great Britain exchanged their experiences in working with undocumented migrants. The publication contains a description of the situation in the above mentioned countries as well as a report of the discussions between the experts on themes such as the importance of professional confidentiality, the use of international regulations, the need for education in human rights etc.  Copies of the publication (6.25 Euro) can be ordered at the PICUM secretariat.

3. UPCOMING EVENTS:

Several Dutch organizations (Missionair Centrum, OIKOS, Raad van Kerken, Project groep RvK, SKIN, Ned. Bekent Kleur, Cura Migratorium, Forum, FNV and CNV) organise from 11 to 18 November the annual Migrant’s Week. It includes a ‘Political forum on migrant workers’ that will be held on November 12, 2001 in The Hague, The Netherlands (in Dutch language). The Forum will take place in the Nieuwspoort, Lange Poten 10 at 7:30 pm. Members of Parliament from different parties will present their view on migration and the UN Convention for the protection of the human rights of migrant workers and their families. Free entry. For information, please contact Nanneke Nix at n.nix@oikos.antenna.nl or visit their website at http://www.migrantenweek.nl/ (only in Dutch).

The Migrant’s Week opens a month of celebrations and events that will be finalised on the International Migrant’s Day. The main IMD event will be held on 15 December in The Hague. The IMD Steering Committee’s next meeting is scheduled on September 12. For information, please contact Yuksel Karakut at tel.: 070-3818132 – fax  070-3816444. The meeting will be held at the Regionale Steunfunctie Allochtonen, Televisiestraat 2R, Den Haag, The Netherlands.

PICUM, Mensen zonder papieren and December 18 are organising on November 13 at 9:30 am in Brussels an introduction workshop on the International Convention on the Rights of Migrants, the Campaign and International Migrant's Day. The meeting is aimed at groups based in Flanders. For information, please contact Myriam De Feyter at info@december18.net.

Ideme: Intervention pour les droits des étrangers malades en Europe,  is an action of Médecins sans Frontières. On 10 October 2001, a day of European action will be organised in Paris on the theme of undocumented migrants with a serious illness. More information on ideme@ideme.org

The Baltic Sea as an Escape Route: International Conference, November 16th - November 18th, 2001, Bad Segesberg, Germany. “State security institutions from the countries of the Baltic Sea area subsume the refugee problem within their jurisdiction under the key terms of "organised crime” and "illegal immigration". The border protection structures of the countries in question have been connected and are developing a more and more effective co-operation strategy. On the other hand the NGOs assisting refugees in the Baltic Sea perceive refugees as human beings seeking shelter .The network and co-operation between these organisations is not well developed yet. The Conference aims to stimulate such a networking and will bring together persons from Germany, the Nordic Countries, Poland, the Baltic States and Russia that are involved in refugee aid on a voluntary or professional basis. The aim is to facilitate an exchange on practical support of refugees, on current developments regarding the political, legal and social situation of refugees, on future perspectives of migration work and self-help organizations in the Baltic Sea region. Concrete agreements concerning further co-operation should be one result of the conference.” More information on: http://www.baltic-refugee.net

Illegal in Deutschland : Fachtagung. On Thursday 29 November, a conference on Undocumented Migrants in Germany will be organised in Frankfurt. How do undocumented migrants in Germany live? How can the work of welfare organisations be further developed? How can the laws be changed, to make sure there are also some social living standards for sans papiers? More information can be found on www. picum.org (upcoming events) or on info@karm.de

CLANDESTINES, CLANDESTINS! Et puis...? The “Commission Protestante Romande Suisses-Immigrés (CPRSI)” is organising a day on sans-papiers on 3 November 2001, in Yverdon, Suisse. For more information and inscriptions: Oscar Tosato - La Fraternité - Pl. Arlaud 2 - 1003 Lausanne/ E-mail: frat@csp-vd.ch 

4. RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Voices from the Shadows, Stories of men and women living with irregular migration status. ed: Lena Barrett (Jesuit Refugee Service Europe). Brussels, 2001. This publication (6.20 Euro) can be ordered with: Jesuit Refugee Service Europe/ Haachtsesteenweg 8/ 1210 Brussels, Belgium/ lena.barrett@jesref.org/ tel: +32 2 250 3220/ fax: +32 2250 3229

Die Deutschen Bischöfe, Kommission für Migrationsfragen: Leben in der Illegalität in Deutschland - eine humanitäre und pastorale Herausforderung. 21 Mai 2001.  This publication can be ordered at : Sekretariat der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz/ Kaiserstrasse 163/ 53113 Bonn, Deutschland/ tel: + 49 228 103 205/ Fax: + 49 228 103 330

Ontkend bestaan (‘Denied Existence), Missionair Centrum (Landelijk Dienstencentrum SOW kerken, Nederland) June 2001. Video + Brochure can be ordered at Missionair Centrum/ Putgraaf 3/ 6411 GT Heerlen/ + 31 45 571 19 80/ miscentr@cuci.nl

For further information: contact Nele Verbruggen, PICUM secretariat, Gaucheretstraat 164, 1030 Brussels, tel. +32-2-274.14.39, fax +32-2-274.14.48, e-mail: info@PICUM.org