Brussels: The European Commission has warned that it "will not hesitate" to launch infringement proceedings against countries that refuse to accept refugees from Italy and Greece, while criticizing the slowness of the implementation of the relocation program. He also called for stricter measures to be taken at national level against migrants without the necessary documents.
With regard to the latter, the Commission called for the expulsion of deportees, "by the immediate conclusion" of readmission agreements with Nigeria or Tunisia and the detention of "persons who have been informed that a decision has been taken to deport them" if "There is a risk of flight".
"It is our duty to be able to say clearly to refugees, to our partners in third countries and to our fellow citizens that if people are in need, we will help them, otherwise they will have to return," said Franz Timmermans, first vice-president of the European Commission.
About 13.500 asylum seekers have so far relocated from Greece and Italy (of which about 9.600 from Greece), while the rest of Europe had pledged in September 2015 to relocate up to 160.000 over two years.
The plan was aimed at showing EU solidarity with refugees fleeing war and reducing the heavy pressure on Athens and Rome.
But Hungary, Austria and Poland "still refuse to participate in the program", while other countries (Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia) "participate in part", the Commission complained.
"If the member states do not 'intensify relocations soon', the Commission 'will not hesitate to exercise the rights conferred on it by the Treaties,'" he said, referring to the infringement procedure provided for in European law.
Brussels also presented an "action plan" today, in order to deport migrants who do not have the right to asylum much more systematically.
The Commission also proposes that Member States reduce the deadline for migrants to appeal against deportation decisions.
It also proposes that € 200 million be made available to member countries in 2017 "to support national deportation measures as well as joint European actions".
Accession negotiations with third countries should be accelerated, according to the European Commission, "with the immediate completion" of talks with Nigeria, Tunisia and Jordan and "the opening of dialogue with Morocco and Algeria".
At this rate, the relocation schedule does not come out
At the same time, a report from the Commission on the relocation program concludes that it will not be possible to relocate all eligible asylum seekers from Greece and Italy until September 2017, provided that the current pace continues.
According to the Commission's monthly report on relocation and resettlement, a new relocation record was set in February at 1.940.
Even these levels, however, are much lower than the target of 3.000 transfers per month from Greece and 1.500 from Italy, which has even been approved by the European Council.
In total, according to the Commission, 13.546 relocations have taken place to date, 3.936 from Italy and 9.610 from Greece.
"The current pace will not allow the relocation of all eligible asylum seekers currently in Greece and Italy until September 2017 - despite the fact that this is entirely possible," the Commission said in a statement.
Source: philenews