Honourable Members of parliament,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Claude,
Dear Carmelo,
Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this Inter-parliamentary Committee meeting.
I am honoured to be here with you today, members of national parliaments and members of the European Parliament, to discuss a common key priority: the reform of the Common European Asylum System.
I believe that for this reform to be successful, we need to have an open and constructive conversation between Union and national legislators.
This is necessary to ensure that the concerns of our citizens, our communities are heeded and properly addressed throughout the decision-making process.
The refugee crisis has taught us that purely national measures do not bring satisfactory solutions – not for any single Member State and certainly not for the European Union as a whole.
A fragmented, nationalist approach only risks undermining the European project.
This has led us to put into question what we take for granted, putting Schengen and European values at risk.
All Member States need to work together to address this challenge in a true spirit of solidarity and shared responsibility.
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.
This is why we are adopting a comprehensive approach to migration management.
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.
- A comprehensive and victim-centred policy framework has been put in place to address trafficking in human beings.
Information from Europol indicates that traffickers take advantage of asylum systems.
The number of unaccompanied minors is increasing; many go missing after arrival and are at great risk of falling victim to trafficking networks.
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.
A major acceleration of relocation is also necessary.
Increased efforts by all Member States are needed to increase the relocation rate, including for relocation of unaccompanied minors.
This third reform of CEAS, which you will be discussing here today, forms an integral part of such a comprehensive approach.
There are structural weaknesses in our system which became evident with the crisis.
This is despite the fact that it has not been long since the second reform entered into force.
There are still significant differences between the Member States in:
- the types of procedures used,
- the reception conditions provided to applicants,
- the recognition rates and the type of protection granted to beneficiaries of international protection.
These divergences contribute to secondary movements and asylum shopping, ultimately leading to an uneven distribution of responsibility among Member States to offer protection to those in need.
The EU needs a robust asylum system, a system based on solidarity and fair sharing of responsibilities.
The Commission proposes to have a system that brings national asylum systems closer together.
This would help strengthen mutual trust among Member States.
Mutual trust is necessary not only for the efficiency of the system, but also to guarantee equal and dignified treatment of asylum applicants across the Union.
We propose to build into the system a number of elements which enhance European integration.
We do so by providing for
- a high degree of harmonisation,
- greater convergence in the assessment of asylum applications across the Union
- and a system of fair distribution of asylum seekers among Member States.
With this third reform, we propose to have a system where the procedures and timelines are streamlined, where the rights of the applicants are adequately guaranteed throughout the procedure, and where the criteria for receiving international protection are further harmonised.
We make sure that applicants receive equal and adequate reception standards throughout the Union.
We also address the issue of secondary movements and abuse.
We do so by proposing to apply appropriate sanctions as regards the procedure and reception conditions where applicants do not comply with obligations.
We propose to make systematic use of admissibility and fast-track procedures.
The success of this reform depends on having a solidarity mechanism.
For us, this is an essential component and for that purpose we proposed to have a corrective allocation mechanism in-built in what is commonly known as the Dublin system.
To continue benefiting from a Europe without internal borders, we need a Dublin system that is clear, predictable and efficient.
Clearer rules have the aim of achieving a system which allows quick access to the asylum procedure but which also sanction non-compliance with the rules, including secondary movements.
An effective and fair system means a system where rules are well-defined and can be immediately enforced to reply to unexpected situations on the ground. In addition, some measure of relocation should be compulsory for all Member States.
Our aim is to move away from a system which by design or poor implementation places a disproportionate responsibility on certain Member States and encourages uncontrolled irregular movements, to one which provides for orderly and safe pathways to the EU.
This is why we propose to have a Union Resettlement Framework, setting out a common approach to safe and legal avenues to the European Union for persons in need of international protection.
A Union framework on resettlement will reduce divergences among national practices.
It will put the Union in a stronger position globally, enabling it to speak with one voice.
In this way, we can better convince our international partners to assume their share of responsibility.
To ensure the effectiveness of our actions, Member States need to show their political will 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.
We need to achieve true solidarity in our migration management.
I hope that we will soon be able to come to a common understanding on how the future European Asylum System should work.
We should 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.
We also count on the European Parliament to advance as much as possible on the different files in order to keep with the pace of the Council.
Our citizens rightly expect their representatives to act. Now is the time to move on with these proposals.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We need to look at the migration phenomenon in a more strategic, comprehensive and positive manner.
Migration has brought and can further bring incredible benefits to the European Union.
It is up to each and every one of us to turn migration into an opportunity.
We all have a role to play through policy development, political discourse, work on the ground with local and regional communities, involvement of all stakeholders, listening to our citizens and catering to the needs of those seeking protection.
Europe can become a more prosperous, cohesive, and inclusive society through integration.
The sooner migrants and refugees are integrated in their host communities and labour markets, the better their contribution for the development, prosperity and stability of our society will be.
We can achieve all of this by working together: at local, regional, national and Union level.
Thank you.
