The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs today endorsed the breakthrough inter-institutional agreement reached last December with the Council on the Migration and Asylum Pact, as well as three other crucial building blocks of a common EU asylum and migration policy. With this green light, the EU is just one step away from finally delivering a migration reform based on responsibility and solidarity.
Fabienne Keller (L’Europe Ensemble, France), the European Parliament’s rapporteur of the Asylum Procedures regulation and shadow rapporteur on the Asylum and Migration Management regulation, said:
“This is the demonstration of a strong Europe that delivers for EU citizens. Thanks to this Pact, we will ensure solidarity between the Member States, more efficient and fair procedures for the asylum seekers and better management of our external borders. We can be proud of this achievement.”
Malik Azmani (VVD, Netherlands), 1st Vice President of Renew Europe and the group’s shadow rapporteur on the Crisis & Force Majeure Regulation, added:
“With the Crisis Regulation and Pact in place, we make sure that the EU is forward-looking and prepared, rather than taken by surprise by future migratory challenges. At last, we can put an end to the ad hoc solutions. For the EU to become a geopolitical player, managing migration properly is imperative. EU citizens expect us to deliver on this topic.”
Sophie in ‘t Veld (Netherlands), the European Parliament’s rapporteur for the recast of the Reception Conditions Directive and Renew Europe’s Coordinator in the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee, said:
“The Reception Conditions Directive includes key guarantees for asylum seekers, such as access to quality reception conditions, education and the labour market. The safeguards for children can make a difference on the ground, in particular the right to have a representative for unaccompanied minors from day 1 and making detention of the children the exception. Overall however, this EU package is far from ideal. But after years of deadlock and violations of European law, this is an opportunity for a fresh start that we cannot dismiss. All now depends on implementation, which needs to be human-centred from the outset.
Migrant men throw heavily pregnant woman off a bus, slamming her to the ground in Paris- leaving her writhing in agony.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) February 16, 2024
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