The European migrant crisis that erupted in 2015 has raised tensions among EU members regarding the asylum system established to deal with the influx of refugees. Amid growing public discontent over Brussels’ migrant policy, which is based on the idea of “burden sharing”, many EU states have started conducting more national-oriented plans.
Source: France and Germany to EU States: Either Pay or Host Refugees – Sputnik International
The European migrant crisis that erupted in 2015 has raised tensions among EU members regarding the asylum system established to deal with the influx of refugees. Amid growing public discontent over Brussels’ migrant policy, which is based on the idea of “burden sharing”, many EU states have started conducting more national-oriented plans.
Those European Union member states that refuse toĀ take inĀ refugees should have an opportunity toĀ apply “alternative measures ofĀ solidarity” byĀ either paying intoĀ the EU budget or towardĀ development projects inĀ Africa, a document submitted byĀ France and Germany toĀ EU interior ministers inĀ BrusselsĀ reads, according toĀ Reuters.
In a bid toĀ put an end toĀ intra-EU clashes overĀ migration, Berlin and Paris proposed onĀ Thursday an amended version ofĀ a migration management mechanism, which deals which some migrant related issues.
The document seen byĀ Reuters, suggests a new formula forĀ EU states’ responsibility toĀ host refugees, according toĀ which initial host countries would bear the responsibility forĀ migrants, who entered the EU throughĀ their borders forĀ about eight years.The Franco-German initiative also proposes elaborating specific rules onĀ how toĀ deal withĀ migrants, who arrived inĀ the EU afterĀ being rescued atĀ sea.
The “alternative measures ofĀ solidarity” that could be imposed uponĀ member states inĀ the event they refuse toĀ provide asylum seek toĀ end the divisions betweenĀ the West and East inĀ the bloc asĀ the former Ā Ā have been willing toĀ take inĀ refugees while the latter have rejected giving shelter toĀ migrants.
The document also warns that the EU would need toĀ create a mechanism toĀ avoid a situation, when all European Union states prefer toĀ pay instead ofĀ taking inĀ refugees. No specific details regarding such a mechanism have been provided.
In 2015-2016 the EU experienced a huge influx ofĀ migrants and refugees. In 2015 more thanĀ one million migrants arrived inĀ Europe, ofĀ which 250, 000 people came byĀ sea. Ā The main migrant entry-points intoĀ the EU were inĀ southern and eastern EU member states, such asĀ Italy, Greece, Spain, etc.
EU authorities, inĀ an attempt toĀ deal withĀ the burden the migration caused, established a quota system, according toĀ which all EU states have toĀ share responsibility forĀ hosting migrants. While the bloc’s western states, such asĀ Germany, were willing toĀ give shelter toĀ refugees, eastern countries, such asĀ Hungary and Poland strongly opposed the decision.
The UN is set toĀ hold a conference onĀ migrants onĀ 10-11 December 2018, where the participant states are expected toĀ sign The UN Global Compact forĀ Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The Compact has caused a controversy amongĀ EU states, leading some ofĀ them toĀ reject it.
So far the US, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Lithuania have rejected the UN Compact. In November Italian Deputy Premier Matteo SalviniĀ announced that Italy would not take part inĀ the upcoming conference, however, noting that “the floor ofĀ parliament must debate it. The Italian government will allow parliament toĀ decide”.
