Onorevoli deputati,
Cari colleghi,
Signore e Signori,
Permettetemi innanzitutto di farvi gli auguri di Buon Anno e ringraziarvi per il vostro invito a discutere qui con voi una delle problematiche più impellenti per la nostra Unione: la crisi migratoria.
Lasciatemi però già dire quanto trovi encomiabile il ruolo dello Stato italiano nella gestione della crisi migratoria e quanto sia essenziale rafforzare la cooperazione tra Italia e Europa su questi temi.
Dear colleagues,
Italy has been at the forefront of the migration crisis for several years already and 2017 will be an even more crucial year, where we must advance on both the internal and external dimension.
Migration today is an integral part of our globalised and interconnected world.
I tell you nothing new when I say that more than 60 million people are forcibly displaced today.
Some of these have fled war or terror, whilst others have been born into displacement and know no other life than that of a refugee.
Europe was directly hit from this vast refugee movement. In 2016, more than 1.2 million persons applied for asylum in the EU.
Within Europe, Italy was at the frontline. In 2016, 181,436 reached its shore across the Mediterranean.
Despite these unprecedented numbers, the Italian people have risen to the challenge of handling the crisis, managing the situation with compassion for those most in need.
But let me be clear on one thing from the beginning: no country should be left alone to handle this crisis.
This is a European challenge, requiring a European response.
All Member States need to work together to address this challenge in a true spirit of solidarity and shared responsibility.
But in order to ensure that all Member States work together, and each of them can be effectively and timely helped by all the others as soon as it falls under exceptional pressure, I strongly believe that we need more Europe!
More Europe is indispensable to protect the EU's external borders, to allow our asylum system to function properly for those in need, to effectively dismantle and prosecute the smugglers' networks, and also to step up our capacity to return the irregular migrants to their country of origin.
In 2015, the situation was increasingly dividing the Union.
It led us to put in question what we take for granted, putting Schengen and European values at risk.
This is why we - the EU and its Member States - established a comprehensive approach.
Common actions were agreed and are now being implemented: hotspots have been established; resettlement and relocation schemes have been set up. Efforts to return irregular migrants and cooperate on readmission with third-countries have been stepped up.
Important results have been achieved in this manner and I'm proud to say that we are not where we were two years ago.
The smuggling networks on the Eastern Mediterranean route have been disrupted. The number of arrivals in Greece has significantly decreased. Mass of irregular migrants and refugees have ceased to cross the Balkans directed towards Central Europe.
Nevertheless, the migratory crisis in not over. The situation is very fragile.
Much remains to be done, particularly in the Central Mediterranean and in relation to migratory flows from Africa.
To address this challenge, the European Union is already making any possible effort to engage with the key countries of origin and transit, particularly in Africa, to address the root causes of irregular migration and reduce the flows directed towards Italy.
This is done by proposing to these countries Compacts, an approach which the EU launched last year following a suggestion initially made by the Italian Government.
In addition to that, one week ago, the Commission has proposed to also step up the joint European initiative to engage with Libya and its neighbours in close cooperation with Member States especially those that are engaged in efforts of their own –Italy and Malta.
These actions are focused on:
- fighting human smuggling and trafficking networks,
- helping to manage migratory flows more effectively,
- continuing to save lives at sea and
- improving the living conditions of migrants and refugees in Libya and neighbouring countries.
If fully and timely implemented, I am sure these actions can contribute to reduce the irregular crossing and deaths at sea.
Pending the moment in which we will be able to witness the reduction of the irregular arrivals, the EU is already providing targeted support to Italy as a frontline country.
Italy receives more than half a billion euro from the EU until 2020 for migration and security issues.
In addition to this, we have recently awarded almost 40 million EUR in Emergency Assistance to the Italian authorities.
This funding will help to cope with the increased needs stemming from the migratory inflow. This fresh funding brings the total emergency assistance provided to Italy since 2015 to nearly 63 million EUR.
Member States, in close collaboration with the EU agencies, are also investing unprecedented resources in terms of logistics and expertise in Italy. This support should be further enhanced.
More than 600 experts from EASO and the European Border and Coast Guard Agencies are deployed in Italy.
Of course this is not enough.
A major acceleration of relocation is also necessary. Increased efforts by all Member States are needed to increase the relocation rate from Italy, including for relocation of unaccompanied minors. So far, 2735 applicants have been relocated from Italy, 764 last December alone, even though none of these were unaccompanied minors. We are pushing Member States to relocate at least 1000 applicants per month from Italy and to reach at least 1500 relocations per month as of April.
Relocation combines the solidarity and responsibility of all Member States. It is a clear demonstration of our common values and calls for intense co-operation among all stakeholders across all levels.
To ensure the effectiveness of our actions, Member States need to show political will now and move forward with the reform of the Common European Asylum System, in particular the Dublin system.
- The Commission has proposed a reform that would not only make today's system more efficient, but also more fair.
- I believe that at the informal meeting of the EU ministers of Interior last week, discussion has created a better understanding that we need to achieve true European solidarity in our migration management.
- Solidarity is not only a moral issue but also a political and most of importantly a legal duty enshrined in the EU Treaty
- I hope that we will be able to come to an agreement during the Maltese Presidency on how the future European Asylum System should work.
- We should all support the Maltese presidency to purse their efforts to find a compromise suitable for all Member States on a solidarity mechanism that will be predictable and that will guarantee that no Member State is left alone.
Our citizens rightly expect their representatives to act. Now is the time to move on with these proposals.
At the same time, it is crucial that Italy strengthens its return policy. We have to send a clear signal to irregular migrants that the system can no longer be ABUSED.
This implies in particular, as Minister Minniti has indicated, and as foreseen by the EU Return Directive, to urgently put in place measures to avoid, that irregular migrants who have received a return decision, manage to abscond and to carryout secondary movements within or outside the Italian territory.
Similarly, reception could be improved by encouraging fairer distribution of migrants, including unaccompanied minors, to increased number of municipalities.
Streamlining asylum procedures, reinforcing procedural safeguards for vulnerable people and increasing integration efforts are also crucial for a sustainable migration management.
Finally, the opening of two additional hotspots in Messina and Mineo has not yet happened.
The European Commission is committed to supporting increased capacity and comprehensive assistance to vulnerable migrants, including unaccompanied children.
Within the emergency funding recently awarded to Italy we will provide EUR 2.5 million for psycho-social support and cultural mediation services specifically conceived for unaccompanied minors arriving in Italy.
---------------------
Let me conclude, however, by saying but, beyond the emergency situation to which we are confronted today, we also need to look at the migration phenomenon in a more strategic, comprehensive and positive way.
Europe's own history has been shaped by migration, and let's not be naïve: our future will be too.
You are aware of how many benefits migration has brought and can further bring to the European Union. It can help to address the demographic imperative and foster industrial development.
The quality of this impact, however, will be determined by the extent to which refugees are integrated.
The more migrants - including refugees - are swiftly and effectively put in the condition to be included in their hosting communities and their labour markets, the better their contribution for the development, prosperity and stability of the entire society will be.
Investing in integration will make Europe a more prosperous, cohesive, and inclusive society.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Italy's response to the crisis has been nothing short of admirable and I wish to reaffirm the Commission's commitment to further aiding Italy in all endeavours. Italy and Europe – together – need to step up their efforts and find new solutions to the most pressing issues. This is also what I discussed in recent meetings I held with Ministers Minniti and Alfano.
Just like no country alone can manage this, no single measure or silver bullet exists to solve everything. Migration is a complex phenomenon.
We have to work together on all its aspects.