We present INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton observations of the prompt \gamma -ray emission and the X–ray afterglow of GRB 030227 , the first GRB for which the quick localization obtained with the INTEGRAL Burst Alert System ( IBAS ) has led to the discovery of X–ray and optical afterglows .
GRBÂ 030227Â had a duration of about 20 s and a peak flux of \sim 1.1 photons cm ^ { -2 } s ^ { -1 } in the 20-200 keV energy range .
The time averaged spectrum can be fit by a single power law with photon index \sim 2 and we find some evidence for a hard to soft spectral evolution .
The X–ray afterglow has been detected starting only 8 hours after the prompt emission , with a 0.2-10 keV flux decreasing as t ^ { -1 } from 1.3 \times 10 ^ { -12 } 
to 5 \times 10 ^ { -13 } erg cm ^ { -2 } s ^ { -1 } .
The afterglow spectrum is well described by a power law with photon index 1.94 \pm 0.05 modified by a redshifted neutral absorber with column density of several 10 ^ { 22 } cm ^ { -2 } .
A possible emission line at 1.67 keV could be due to Fe for a redshift z \sim 3 , consistent with the value inferred from the absorption .