Answer given by
Ms Malmström on behalf of the Commission
Parliamentary questions
As indicated in the
Commission reply to parliamentary Question E 5191/2011, in the framework of the
2011 annual programme for the External Borders Fund (EBF), Greece had requested
a co-financing of EUR 4.9 million for the construction of a 10.5 km
long fence at the land border with Turkey in the Evros region.
In the context of the
discussions with the Greek authorities on the proposed EBF annual programme, the Commission informed Greece that it
would not support the construction of the fence with EU funding as, in
its view, this action would not provide in itself a solution to irregular
migration in the region. At the same time, the Commission confirmed its
readiness to co-finance other more effective measures within the comprehensive
strategy that the Greek authorities are planning to establish in order to
ensure an integrated border management system along the entire 200 km land
border with Turkey.
The Commission also
encouraged the development of actions within the EBF annual programme aimed at
addressing other priorities for the effective management of external borders,
such as the recommendations of the Schengen evaluation committee as reflected
in the National Action Plan ‘Greece-Schengen’, the implementation of the Greek
Action Plan on Asylum and Migration and the completion of the national
components of the SIS II and VIS.
