A new Europe migration plan “balances responsibility and solidarity”

The European Union plans to adopt a new migration system across the bloc to manage migration flows and ensure that EU members share responsibility for asylum seekers. The proposed “New Pact on Migration and Asylum” allows member states to either accept migrants, or support rejected asylum seekers to return.  

The new pact overhauls the much criticised Dublin Regulation, which requires asylum claims to be handled in the EU country where they first arrived.  It aims to ensure a fairer distribution of asylum seekers across the bloc particularly frontline countries such as Greece and Italy where the majority of migrants land. The new pact would “rebuild trust between member states” and strike the “right balance between solidarity and responsibility”, said The European Commission president.

The  new pact, which has been driven by German chancellor Angela Merkel, will require all 27 EU member states to take part. The plan includes;

• New compulsory pre-entry screening involving health, identity and security checks
• A faster asylum border process involving decisions within 12 weeks and swift returns for failed applicants
• Taking in recent arrivals
• “Sponsoring” returns – ensuring on behalf of other states that people refused asylum are sent back
• Providing immediate operational support
• Each state would be legally required to contribute their “fair share” – based half on GDP, and half on population size

TMP – 28-9-2020

Photo credit: FrimuFilms

Photo caption: European Union Flags in BrusselsBRUSSELS, BELGIUM – JUNE 22, 2019: Flags of Europe in front of Berlaymont European Commision building at daylight