Dear Chairman,
Honourable Members,
Dear colleagues,
I wanted to have the opportunity to discuss with you once more before the European elections, I therefore thank you for your invitation today.
Almost 5 years ago, on 30 of September 2014 we had our first exchange –which was more than a simple exchange, I felt I had a real exam.
I therefore want to thank you for your trust. For your trust back then, in the confirmation hearing, but also for your trust throughout these years: thanks to our strong cooperation we achieved a lot of work in both the areas of migration and security.
We have been confronted to huge challenges: an unprecedented migration waves and a series of terrorist attacks.
It wasn’t easy, and we were not always agreeing on everything. I was told back in 2014 that LIBE is the most “difficult” Committee.
In a way, this is correct: you are the Committee dealing with the issues that we see now defining the European elections debate.
Migration and security are topics by definition political. Topics that Member States considered for a long time deserved only national solutions.
One must admit that the European Parliament always saw ahead of silos and underlined the need for European, long-term and comprehensive strategies.
So yes, LIBE is certainly a demanding committee, and rightly so. This is why I always felt your support in developing this kind of comprehensive policies – for which Parliament’s vision was always an inspiration.
I also want to thank you for your work. You all here contributed in finalising important legislative files in record time, working on many of them in parallel.
The latest example is the deal we reached last week –in only 7 months- to strengthen the European Border and Coast Guard with a standing corps of 10,000 and to give it real powers to support Member States, delivering on our promises.
I would like to thank once again the whole LIBE committee and in particular Roberta Metsola and her team of shadow rapporteurs for all your efforts. I am looking forward to your vote this afternoon to confirm the compromise reached.
Today, we can say that we reached a number of accomplishments and have formulated a policy map for the years to come in both migration and in security fields.
But let me clear: there is still much to be done notably to fully implement all the legislative text that have been adopted.
Our joint efforts have focused on finding the best possible and sustainable solutions based on the principles of solidarity and responsibility which are at the core of our European values -and you are the principal defenders of that.
We proposed immediate measures as well as long-term solutions to better manage migration in all its aspects, internal as well as external, with one specific goal: to quickly and effectively respond to the crisis.
Our balanced and comprehensive approach focused on all aspects of migration:
– Saving lives: More than 700,000 lives were saved in the Mediterranean since 2015.
-Supporting frontline Member States in welcoming migrants in an appropriate manner: since the very first moment, we have supported Member States such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Malta, by providing financial, technical and operational assistance on the ground.
-Making relocation and resettlement a reality: in total, more than 34,000 people in need of international protection were relocated both from Greece and Italy, and more than 52,000 resettled refugees from outside the EU, have found a new home in the EU since 2015.
-Reducing the incentives of irregular migration by coordinating our external and internal policies and also by dismantling criminal smuggler networks.
-Strengthening and modernizing our border management while making sure that bona fina travellers are facilitated and of course
-Establishing a strong common asylum policy and fostering legal migration and integration –which are the points I will come back to later.
We can now say that we are on the right path.Today, the numbers of irregular arrivals are back to and even below pre-crisis levels.
In 2018, 150,000 irregular arrivals were detected across EU external borders. This is the lowest level in five years and over 90% lower than 2015. The decreasing trend of arrivals continues in 2019.
The EU-Turkey Statement contributed to a marked reduction in migration flows, especially in the East Mediterranean route.
The EU’s support through the Facility for Refugees in Turkey is a key part of our cooperation.
This are the results of the joint actions between the Member States, the European Parliament and the Commission.
An essential element of our migration policy has been enhancing legal pathways to discourage the use of irregular routes and breach the business model of migrant smuggling, as well as helping to create attractive channels for needs-based labour migration.
Regrettably, the Blue Card is in a deadlock. I would like to thank Claude for his efforts on this file, fully supporting the Commission’s ambition to enable the EU to have an attractive scheme to improve the competitiveness of our economy.
I trust that the next Parliament will keep the same level of ambition with regard to legal migration.
As just presented to you, the ‘fitness check’ of EU legislation on legal migration showed that the current EU rules are fit for purpose.
Of course there is still room for improvement. We can do better in regulating the existing rights and conditions of all those who come to Europe for study, work or family reasons.
This is in the interest of all of us. A central part of our policies have also been international synergies.
I am very glad that, several labour migration pilot projects with key partner countries are under way.
Moreover, this is complemented by the Partnership Framework on migration which is firmly embedded into our overall relations with partner countries.
Let me now turn to one of the most critical files of these years aiming at bringing a real change for migration in the future: the establishment of a common European asylum system.
I would first like to commend the Parliament for having adopted a position on all 7 legislatives files that are part of this comprehensive reform and for your willingness to engage with the Council to negotiate all our proposals to ensure that the EU is equipped with an Asylum system that is fit to address future challenges. I know that we share a common regret but also a common determination on this.
We still need a final political push to make substantial progress. I will keep this reform high on my agenda until the end of my mandate.
I will keep working with the Member States to make progress over the coming months in order to be ready to engage with the next Parliament.
As part of this comprehensive policy, I also regret that we could not start the trilogues on the Return Directive before the European elections.
We are doing our utmost to intervene as early as possible to deter irregular migration and address its root causes but in case a person stays irregularly on EU territory she or he has to be returned.
This is key for the credibility of any balanced migration policy and to ensure the support of our citizens for it.
Coming now to visa. I would like to also thank you for the recent agreement on the Visa Code, the rapporteur Juan Fernando Lopez Aguillar and his team of shadows.
Our new Visa policy has equally facilitated people-to-people contacts. For example, citizens of Georgia and Ukraine can now travel visa free to the Schengen area; an important step to strengthen ties between citizens.
What is of high significance to me personally, is to preserve the Schengen area. Schengen is one of the greatest achievements of the EU.This should be irreversible.
We need to have clear rules for Member States regarding controls at their internal borders.
We need to continue working in this direction – Ms Fajon is equally determined I am sure.
In 2014, during my hearing I asked you to reflect together on strengthening our capacity to manage our borders: this constitutes a main part of our work.
As I have reiterated, Europe will never be a fortress but we have to know who is crossing our borders.
Our external borders are the nexus between all our common work on migration and security.
Now, thanks to this work, all persons at the external borders are now subject to checks through advanced information systems, such as the Schengen Information Schengen, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System and the Entry Exit System.
You have been instrumental in these landmark decisions. And interoperability, that will connect all these dots is our latest accomplishment that will help: Breaking silos, connecting our information, closing blind spots.
I am thankful for your great collaboration on this file, and particularly, to our Rapporteurs Mr Lenaers and Mr Melo –and as always, their shadows.
Preventing radicalisation and tackling terrorism both offline and online has been at the centre of our policies.
To ensure a secure online environment we proposed legislation to remove terrorist content online quickly.
Recent events have shown the importance of tackling this issue with appropriate legal framework.
I regret that we did not manage to finalise this file before the elections. It is a missed opportunity.
I am not going to mention one by one all the work done and the legislation adopted on counter-terrorism and serious crime, including on terrorist financing, money laundering, drugs, anti-trafficking… the list is not exhaustive.
We all here know well: But I want to take the opportunity to inform you that we have found a preliminary agreement on the PNR negotiations with Canada, in line with the Courts Ruling. My services will come to debrief you.
Last but not least, some words on funding.The Commission has proposed to increase the long term funding for 2021-2027 on migration and asylum, on external border management and on security.
This is a strong political signal that the EU wants to deliver on the ambitious objectives with a sufficient level of funding. I believe that the next Parliament will keep alive this level of aspiration.
Honourable Members,
These are some of our concrete actions and achievements during the last years.
I want to thank all of you for your personal commitment, determination, negotiation skills and efforts.
I could start mentioning one by one our rapporteurs but first you are too many and secondly, the rapporteurs are not the only ones that contributed in delivering this huge amount of work.
There are also the -very important for each file- teams of shadow rapporteurs, there are all of you members of this demanding Committee that amended, debated, voted on these files.
And of course, there are also your political advisors, your assistants, and the secretariat of LIBE Committee led by Mr Antoine Cahen. I would like to thank them ALL as well.
They are instrumental in every success too.
Dear friends,
I am determined to continue the work to finalise the work on the files still on the table.
I know that some of you will come return after the elections, and I am looking forward to welcoming you back to complete this work together.
I very much regret that some of you decided not to return. Your experience is precious, and I am sure you will somehow use it at the service of Europe.
I am sure that our paths will meet again with many of you. I left something personally important to me for the end.
I would like to thank the Chairman of this Committee, Claude Moraes.
I was very honoured and lucky to cooperate with a Committee Chairman of his standing.
Claude, you are one of the best European Statements, a committed, efficient and experienced legislator.
When BREXIT will happen, Europe will miss you a lot.
This Committee will miss you a lot.
And I personally will miss working with you in this fair and efficient manner.
Thank you for leading this Committee the way you have, for your support and most importantly, for your friendship.
Dear colleagues,
thank you all.