The European Union achieved a significant consensus early on Wednesday regarding new regulations aimed at more equitably distributing the responsibilities and expenses associated with accommodating migrants. This agreement is part of an effort to manage the influx of individuals seeking entry.
The understanding was reached following extensive overnight discussions between representatives of the European Parliament and EU member states. These deliberations focused on the legislative framework known as the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is slated for implementation in the coming year.
This legislative package encompasses various aspects of migration and asylum processes within the EU, the key elements of which include screening and procedures for the initial assessment of migrants entering the EU irregularly, standardized protocols for processing asylum requests, guidelines for determining which EU country will be responsible for examining an individual's asylum application, and strategies for handling situations of increased migratory pressure or other extraordinary migration-related challenges.
This contentious reform aims to introduce several key measures. Border detention centers will be established to hold migrants at the EU's borders during the assessment process, and there will be a faster removal process for asylum seekers whose applications are denied.
An expedited process will be implemented for quickly returning ineligible individuals to their home countries or countries of transit. It is important to understand that asylum seekers from countries like India, Tunisia, or Turkey, or those perceived as security threats, may be prevented from entering the EU and instead held in detention centers at the border.
Numerous organizations advocating for refugee rights have voiced strong opposition to the recent EU deal, criticizing it as the foundation for an inhumane and impractical system. They argue that this agreement could lead to the establishment of what they describe as prison-like camps along the EU's frontiers.
Several organizations have expressed grave concerns, stating that the agreement could significantly impact European asylum laws. They say this will only cause an increase in hardships for asylum seekers at every stage of their journey, arguing that the policy seems to be structured to make accessing asylum more challenging.
Amnesty International, Oxfam, Caritas, and Save the Children argue that it replicates past failures and exacerbates their effects, potentially normalizing arbitrary immigration detention (including for children), increasing racial profiling, enabling pushbacks, and returning individuals to unsafe third countries.
These organizations advocate for strengthening, not weakening, the EU's reception and asylum systems, and for fair responsibility sharing among European states.
Amnesty International also highlighted that the agreement reinforces the EU's reliance on external states like Albania, Libya, Tunisia, and Turkey for migration management. They criticize the EU for not investing in dignified reception within the bloc and for not expanding safe, regular pathways for people seeking protection in Europe, viewing this as a move towards outsourcing border control and shirking Europe's refugee protection responsibilities.
Despite these criticisms, the agreement still awaits formal ratification. It requires the approval of both the European Council, representing the 27 member states, and the European Parliament. If approved, it is expected to become part of the EU's legal framework, likely in 2024.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has highlighted the agreement as a pivotal step in managing migration and asylum within the EU. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized the collective nature of migration challenges, noting that the decision represents a move towards a more unified management approach. Her statement underscores the EU's commitment to addressing migration as a shared responsibility among member nations.
Notably, migrant arrivals in the EU have significantly decreased since the 2015 peak of over one million, but have risen from a 2020 low to 255,000 as of November, with over half coming from Africa to Italy or Malta via the Mediterranean.
Previous attempts to distribute the responsibility for hosting migrants and refugees have failed, mainly due to reluctance from Eastern EU members to accept people arriving in countries like Greece and Italy. The new system offers non-border countries the option to either accept asylum seekers or contribute to an EU fund.
While these new rules represent a concerted effort to balance the responsibilities among EU nations, aiming to create a more sustainable and fair system for managing migration and asylum seekers, it will be incumbent on the authorities in charge to ensure compliance with these new regulations. Europe's future depends on how it deals with migrants and refugees.
