European Migration Pact

The European Parliament earlier this week adopted 10 legislative texts to reform European migration and asylum policy as agreed with other EU member states.

The reforms have been in the works since 2016, and are aimed at easing pressure on southern countries such as Greece and Italy.

It comes as the annual number of migrant deaths in the Mediterranean continues to grow, with more than 3,000 deaths last year alone.

Solidarity and Responsibility;

In order to assist EU countries subject to migratory pressure, other member states will contribute by relocating asylum applicants or beneficiaries of international protection to their territory, making financial contributions, or providing operational and technical support. The criteria according to which a member state is responsible for examining international protection applications(called Dublin rules) will be updated.

Another text adopted was ‘Addressing situations of Crisis’, where the Crisis and majeure

Regulations establish a mechanism to respond to sudden increases in arrivals, ensuring solidarity and support for member states facing an exceptional influx of third-country nationals.

Screening of third-country nationals at EU borders;

People who do not meet the conditions to enter the EU will be subject to a pre-entry screening procedure, including identification, collection of biometrics data, and health and security checks, during a period of up to a week. The member states will have to set independent monitoring mechanisms to ensure the respect for fundamental rights.

A new common procedure termed as “Faster Asylum Procedures” will be established across the EU to grant and withdraw international protection. Processing asylum claims at EU borders will in future have to be faster, with shorter deadlines for unfounded or inadmissible claims.

Eurodac Regulation;

The data of those arriving irregularly to the EU, including fingerprints and facial images from 6 years old onwards,  will be stored in the reformed Eurodac database.

Authorities will also be able to record if someone may present a security threat or was violent or armed.

Safe and legal way to Europe;

Under a new framework on resettlement and humanitarian admission, member states will, on a voluntary basis, offer to host UNHCR-recognized refugees from third countries, who would travel to EU territory in a legal, organized and safe way.

Receiving asylum applicants and qualification standards were other legislative texts in motion.

The EU said the pact combined ‘mandatory solidarity’ between member states with flexibility. Although some EU states remain opposed to parts of the agreement, it is expected to receive full support at the end of April under majority voting.

Under the proposed rules, the EU member states (27 countries) will be required to either take in thousands of migrants from ‘frontline’ countries, such as Italy, Spain and Greece, or provide extra funding or resources instead.

The pact also indicates that Asylum claims have “low chances of being accepted”.

The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola said- “It struck a balance between solidarity and responsibility”.

“It will not solve everything overnight but it is 10 giant leaps forward.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also welcomed the reforms as historic and indispensable. But Poland’s prime Minister Donald Tusk said his government will not accept the relocation mechanism.