The new Pact on Migration and Asylum was voted in the European Parliament yesterday, which is a major step forward towards a common EU migration management system.
Despite the backlash, MEPs finally voted in favor of all five pieces of legislation dealing with faster processing of asylum applications, improved identification on arrival with mandatory security checks for people entering the EU irregularly, and now member states can choose to take responsibility for asylum seekers, contribute financially to host states or provide operational support. In addition, there will be greater preparedness in crisis situations and a new voluntary resettlement system for refugees from non-EU countries.
The five main proposals of the Pact:
1. Regulation on border screening: creates uniform rules for the identification of third-country nationals on arrival, thus enhancing security within the Schengen area.
Those who do not meet the requirements to enter the EU will be screened before they are allowed to enter, during which they will be subject to identification, biometric data collection and health and safety checks. This process will take up to seven days. Member States must establish independent control mechanisms to ensure respect for fundamental rights. The text presented by the rapporteur Birgit SIPPEL (Socialists, Germany) was approved with 366 votes in favour, 229 against and 26 abstentions. MEPs also approved new rules for the Central Conviction Information System (ECRIS-TCN), by 414 votes to 182 with 29 abstentions.
Under the new framework for resettlement and admission on humanitarian grounds, Member States will undertake, on a voluntary basis, to receive UNHCR-recognized refugees from other countries who arrive on EU territory in a legal, organized and safe manner. The text presented by the rapporteur Malin BJÖRK (Sweden, Left) was approved with 452 votes in favor, 154 votes against and 14 abstentions.
2.Eurodac Regulation: creates a common database in which more accurate and complete data will be gathered to detect unauthorized movements.
The data of those entering the EU illegally, including fingerprints and photographs of people aged six and over, will be stored in the revised Eurodac database. In the future, authorities will also be able to record whether someone may pose a security risk, engage in violent behavior or carry a weapon. The text presented by the rapporteur Jorge BUXADÉ VILLALBA (ECR, Spain) was adopted with 404 votes in favour, 202 against and 16 abstentions.
The Parliament also approved the establishment of new European rules for all Member States regarding the recognition of refugee or subsidiary protection status, as well as the rights granted to those entitled to protection. Member States should assess the situation in the country of origin based on information from the EU Asylum Agency, while refugee status will be regularly reviewed. Applicants for protection should remain on the territory of the Member State responsible for their application or where protection was granted. The text presented by the rapporteur Matjaž NEMEC (Socialists, Slovenia) was adopted with 340 votes in favour, 249 against and 34 abstentions.
3.Regulation on asylum procedures: ensures faster and more efficient procedures for asylum, returns and borders.
The Pact on Migration and Asylum establishes a common European procedure for granting and withdrawing international protection status. Asylum applications at EU borders should be processed more quickly in future, while shorter deadlines will apply to applications deemed unfounded or inadmissible. The text presented by the rapporteur Fabienne KELLER (Renew, France) was approved with 301 votes in favour, 269 against and 51 abstentions. Regarding the border return procedure, the result of the vote was 329 votes in favor, 253 against and 40 abstentions.
Member States should ensure similar reception standards for asylum seekers in terms of, for example, housing, schooling and healthcare. Registered asylum seekers will be able to start working no later than six months after submitting their application. Rules on detention conditions and restrictions on free movement will also apply to discourage asylum seekers from moving within the EU. The text presented by rapporteur Sophie IN 'T VELD (Renew, Netherlands) was adopted with 398 votes in favour. , 162 against and 60 abstentions.
4.Regulation on the management of asylum and migration: it creates a new solidarity mechanism between Member States to balance the current system, in which only a few countries are responsible for the vast majority of asylum applications, as well as clear rules on responsibility for asylum applications.
To support EU countries under pressure from migration flows, the remaining member states will contribute in the future in three ways: either by taking asylum seekers or people enjoying international protection to their territory, by contributing financially, or by providing operational and technical support. In addition, the so-called Dublin rules, i.e. the criteria for determining which Member State is responsible for examining applications for international protection, will be revised. The Parliament approved the regulation on the management of asylum and migration presented by the rapporteur Tomas TOBÉ (EPP, Sweden), with 322 votes in favor, 266 against and 31 abstentions.
5.Crisis and Force Majeure Regulation: ensures the EU's future preparedness to deal with crisis situations, including the mobilization of migrants.
The Crisis and Force Majeure Regulation creates a mechanism to help EU countries manage surges in migrant and refugee arrivals, while ensuring solidarity and support for Member States facing exceptionally large inflows of third-country nationals . The new rules will also cover cases where migrants are used as tools by third countries or hostile non-state actors to destabilize the EU. MEPs approved the text presented by rapporteur Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (Socialists, Spain) with 301 votes in favor, 272 against and 46 abstentions.
Next steps
The Commission presented the new Pact on Migration and Asylum in September 2020, with the aim of finding long-term and sustainable solutions to managing migration. The Pact will create a legal framework that will balance the solidarity and responsibility of Member States, in the context of an integrated approach to the effective and fair management of migration.
Once the Council formally approves the new package, the rules will enter into force after being published in the Official Journal of the European Union and are expected to come into effect in two years. As regards the reception conditions directive, Member States will have two years to incorporate the changes into their national legislation.
The EU will decide who enters its territory and under what conditions
The adoption of the Pact on Migration and Asylum by the European Parliament was welcomed by the Presidents of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and of the European Parliament, Roberta Metzola, calling yesterday a "historic" day.
President Ursula von der Leyen said: "Europe is a strong union that can provide big solutions to big problems. I welcome the timely political agreement reached by Parliament and the Council on the key elements of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum. Our aim was to shape a fair and realistic approach to managing migration in the EU together. We have taken an important step to ensure that Europe has the tools it needs to manage migration.”
"We will continue to respond to all crises: from Lampedusa, to the border of Finland and from the Canary Islands to Cyprus," said the President of the Commission, stressing that the EU will decide who enters its territory and under what conditions . In fact, at the beginning of her speech, she did not fail to thank the Vice-President for the European way of life, Margariti Schina and the Commissioner for Internal Affairs, Ylva Johansson. “You and your staffs have worked tirelessly over the years to make the Pact a reality. Now you've succeeded," he said.
For her part, the President of the European Parliament emphasized that the Pact ensures the right balance between solidarity and responsibility. He admitted that it does not solve all the issues "overnight", but it is a "giant step forward" because it ensures that those who need protection get it.
Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson noted that the European Parliament's vote is a great achievement. "We will be able to better protect our external borders, the vulnerable and refugees, those who do not have the right to stay will be returned quickly, with mandatory solidarity between member states."
“After almost a decade of deadlock, the European Parliament has voted to adopt the Pact on Migration and Asylum – the complete overhaul of EU immigration law. Europe will manage migration in an orderly manner and on our own terms," said Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas.
Who disagrees with the New Covenant?
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said yesterday that his country will not accept a European Union migrant relocation mechanism, despite the European Parliament's approval of migration legislation.
Their opposition to the New Pact has been expressed by well-known cases, such as the legislators of Viktor Orbán's Hungarian party Fidesz, as well as the far-right group Identity and Democracy (ID) which includes the League of Italy, the National Alarm of France and the German Alternative for Germany (AfD).
At the same time, reactions also exist within the dominant Eurogroups, with the most powerful block being that of the 16 Italian MEPs of the Socialists and Democrats.
"No" to the new Pact also from Italy's populist Five Star Movement, which considers it useless for its country but also harmful to the rights of immigrants, while the MEPs of the party of Georgia Meloni "Brothers of Italy", which cohabits with the European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR), dominated by the Polish delegation of Law and Justice which opposes the changes, had announced that they would "examine each file separately".
Opposition was also expressed by the 72 Green MEPs and 37 of the Left, speaking of strict provisions that would degrade the asylum process and allow violations of fundamental rights.
Source: protothema.gr