Ladies and gentlemen – good evening, and thank you for having invited me at this distinguished event.
My contribution comes at a very good time.
I look back at a difficult 2015, only to see that 2016 has not started easier at all.
What is happening today in Europe, is putting at stake the very core of Europe:
Ιt is questioning what it means to be a Union.
I will talk to you about the refugee crisis this evening – but in fact it is about so much more.
What is at stake right now is the heart of the European project as we know it.
We are at a turning point today.
In 2015, more than one million people arrived on Greek and Italian shores.
And looking at the instability in our neighbourhood, we know this trend is set to continue.
The numbers are impressive – for some even frightening.
But fear should not be our guide.
Unfortunately, I see a rise of xenophobia and populism, I see Europe’s unity being put into question, and I see the principle of free movement and Schengen questioned by some!
There are many misunderstandings, questions and rumours today:
-about Greece being kicked out of Schengen,
-about refugees being terrorists,
-about Fortress Europe.
None of that is true.
First of all, it is the first and foremost objective of the European Commission and of the Member States to safeguard and strengthen Schengen.
The cost of non-Schengen would be enormous, in societal, political, cultural and -not to forget, economic terms.
This means we have to better manage our external borders.
It also means we have to apply the existing rules to improve and correct any existing shortcomings.
It means that Europe is there to support, but also that Member States must take their responsibilities.
Secondly, on refugees and terrorists:
I actually refuse to use both words in the same sentence.
I cannot be clear enough: those coming to our shores, looking for protection, are precisely fleeing those terrorists.
Second, let me remind you that the perpetrators of those horrendous attacks in Europe over 2015 are all EU citizens – born and bred in our societies.
Thirdly, if anything has become clear in the past few months is, that no Member State can deal with the challenges of migration alone.
I have said this numerous times: we have to stop playing the blame game, or waiting for someone else to move first.
Managing migration, means managing a complex and multifaceted issue.
It means we have to do different things at the same time, because everything is linked.
Last year, the EU, led by the Commission, took important decisions towards a common response to manage migration better.
But clearly, what has been agreed is not yet delivering the expected results.
Far more efforts are needed.
All Member States have to play their part.
The most important thing, is first to regain control of flows and of our borders.
For that, we need immediate action, starting with fully functioning hotspots and relocations.
We need a collective approach that allows for the quick identification of any weaknesses and that improves our ability to deal with crisis situations.
That’s why we have already proposed the creation of a European Border and Coast Guard Agency, to truly manage our external borders together, jointly.
But let us look at the bigger picture: Right now, as much as we would like to, there is no real Common European Asylum System.
It exists on paper, but not in practice.
Five countries in Europe are shouldering a responsibility that should be shared amongst 28.
That is why we are rethinking our whole asylum system, and will present in spring important revisions, including a revision of the Dublin mechanism.
The current situation is simply unsustainable.
Instead of only waiting for people to arrive, we have to start earlier.
This means that we have to promote:
-economic opportunities,
-development,
-security
-and better management of migratory flows in countries of origin and transit.
It means we have to work together with key partners such as:
-Turkey,
-the Western Balkans
-as well as African partners from the Valetta Summit.
And of course, we have to step up our work towards a political solution and stability in countries like Syria and Libya.
Coming back to what I said in the beginning, about refusing the term Fortress Europe:
When we talk about better managing our external borders, this doesn’t mean closing them for those in need of protection.
In fact, we need to create more legal pathways to Europe, so people are not hindered by physical borders.
This spring, we are planning to establish an EU-wide system of resettlement where people in need of protection come to Europe safely and legally.
Ladies and gentlemen,
No country can handle this alone.
But no country is absolved of its responsibility either.
A future marked by migration and more diverse societies,is a fact.
The 21st century will be defined as the century of human mobility.
There is no escaping from this.
That is why we also must rethink how we better integrate and truly include those who arrive in Europe, as well as how to attract the best and the brightest in the future.
Those who say “this is not my problem” are fools.
What is happening today in Greece, is felt in Sweden.
What is happening in Syria, is felt in Germany.
This is what Europe is about.
2016 is already the year where our leadership, our solidarity and our courage are ever more tested.
Ultimately, this is not about Schengen, or borders, or even the refugee crisis as a whole.
This is about Europe, our Union and the values it was built upon.
This is about how we will define our future, and how we will be remembered.
There is only one European Union, and there can only be one answer to how we deal with the challenges today: together.