Sargentini wil Europese opheldering over terugkeerdienst Guineese asielzoekers

Source: J. (Judith) Sargentini i, published on Friday, May 17 2013, 14:02.
Sargentini wil Europese opheldering over terugkeerdienst Guineese asielzoekers
Bron: Groenlinks

GroenLinks-Europarlementartiër Judith Sargentini wil opheldering van de Europese Commissie over de Guineese terugkeerdienst die de Nederlandse regering inzet om asielzoekers terug te sturen naar het Afrikaanse Guinee. Sargentini stelt de schriftelijke vragen naar aanleiding van het Nieuwsuur-item van donderdag. Ze wil weten op de Europese Commissie op de hoogte is van deze dienst en of Nederland handelt volgens Europese en internationale verdragen.

Schriftelijke vragen

The Dutch media have reported about a Guinean 'task force' that, commissioned by the Dienst Terugkeer en Vertrek (the Dutch Repatriation and Departure Service), issues (non-regular/non-valid) travel documents for rejected Guinean asylum seekers. The travel documents are not issued following the regular method (i.e. by the Guinean Embassy), but by government officials that are flown in from Conakry. An instance is known of a rejected asylum seeker with documents from the task force that was not allowed into Guinea because the documents were not accepted upon arrival. Examples of imprisonment upon arrival in Guinea with travel documents from the task force are also known. On invoices addressed to the Dienst Terugkeer en Vertrek the task force project is called 'EU project 35 IRES'.

  • Is the European Commission aware of the existence of a Guinean task force that facilitates the return of rejected asylum seekers by issuing (non-regular/non-valid) travel documents in the Netherlands?
  • Does Frontex or the European Return Fund contribute financially to the return of rejected asylum seekers with papers issued by the task force?
  • Is Frontex or any other EU organisation involved in the organisation of the return of rejected asylum seekers that travel with papers issued by the abovementioned (or similar) task force(s)?
  • Is the Commission of the opinion that the Dutch way of facilitating (non-valid/non-official) return papers is in contrast with the principle of non-refoulement, and is thereby breaching the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees?
  • Is the European Commission aware of any other European Member States making use of similar methods of third-country officials (from Guinea or other countries) that issue non-valid/non-official return papers? If yes, which Member States are involved in this?
  • Is the European Commission familiar with the term 'EU project 35 IRES' as mentioned on the invoices addressed to the Dienst Terugkeer en Vertrek?