The European Union reaches agreement on a vast reform of migration policy

6 mins

The Asylum and Migration Pact will replace the current European system that southern European countries have been clamoring to reform for at least two decades. Presented by the European Commission in September 2020, it is a new attempt to overhaul European rules after the failure of a previous proposal in 2016 in the wake of the refugee crisis.

Overall, the pact provides for reinforced control of migrant arrivals in the EU, closed centers near the borders to return those not entitled to asylum more quickly and a mandatory solidarity mechanism between member countries for the benefit of States. under migratory pressure is also expected.

Reinforced controls and mandatory solidarity mechanism

The Dublin Regulation entrusted all responsibility for welcoming migrants to the country of entry, the one through which each migrant arrives in the EU, most of the time via the Mediterranean, recalls our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Bénazet. The reform retains this rule, but to help Mediterranean countries, where many exiles arrive, a compulsory solidarity system is organized in the event of migratory pressure. Other Member States must contribute by taking care of asylum seekers (relocations) or by providing financial support.

The reform also provides for a “ filtering » of migrants upon their arrival and a “ border procedure » for those who are statistically least likely to obtain asylum, who will be held in centers so that they can be returned more quickly to their country of origin or transit. This procedure will apply to nationals of countries for which the rate of recognition of refugee status, on average in the EU, is less than 20%. The Council insisted that even families with children under 12 should be affected by such a procedure, which involves a form of detention, in centers located near borders or airports for example.

“ All people who enter European territory irregularly will be registered, specifies MEP Fabienne Keller. We need to know who is on our territory. But these people will also have rights: legal aid throughout the asylum phase and monitoring of fundamental rights so that they are real. Managing people who have very little chance of being granted asylum more quickly also means that our asylum systems are less congested by large numbers of people waiting for far too long periods of time. It means ensuring that there are fewer people present in the procedures, that they are better received and better respected. »

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“ Historic agreement »

The reactions were quick. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen welcomed this “ historic agreement » on the Pact on Migration and Asylum.

The President of the European Parliament, Maltese Roberta Metsola, said: very proud “, considering that it was ” probably the most important legislative agreement of this term “.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson welcomed a “ historical moment “.

Germany, one of the countries which has welcomed the most migrants over the last ten years, has long called for a better distribution of refugees within the European Union, recalls our correspondent in Berlin, Nathalie Versieux. Chancellor Olaf Scholz therefore expressed: a relief for Germany “, on the X platform. ” We are thus limiting illegal immigration and providing relief to the countries most affected, including Germany. » His Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser, also a social democrat, also welcomes the compromise which will make it possible to distribute responsibility for migrants. on more shoulders “.

For’Italythe agreement reached by the 27 Member States will allow it to feel “ less alone » in the management of migratory flows. This is what the Italian Interior Minister said on Wednesday. This agreement represents “ a balanced solution which no longer leaves EU border countries, particularly exposed to migratory pressure, feeling alone “, affirmed Matteo Piantedosi in a press release, welcoming a “ big success “.

Hungary’s headwinds

Reactions are much more mixed among the coalition partner Green. “ Germany has failed to pass all its demands », Regrets Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. His party had tried to impose a separate procedure for migrant families, in order to prevent children from going through asylum processing centers at the gates of Europe. The Greens, who ultimately supported the Brussels compromise, face a barrage of criticism from their base.

On the left, some MEPs believe that the agreement has yielded too much to countries that want to control borders.

Precisely, among them, Hungary has “ forcefully rejected » Wednesday this agreement, refusing to contribute to the obligatory solidarity mechanism between member countries. “ We will not let anyone in against our will “, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told the press.

Final adoption before the 2024 European elections

The reform also draws criticism from human rights organizations. Around fifty NGOs, including Amnesty International, Oxfam, Caritas and Save the Children, wrote an open letter to negotiators on December 18 to alert them to the risk of seeing this migration pact lead to “ a poorly designed, expensive and cruel system “.

Coincidentally, this breakthrough at the European level came shortly after the adoption in France of a controversial immigration law, which caused a crisis in the camp of President Emmanuel Macron due to the support of the far right. This reform is therefore all the more of a challenge for part of Europe, six months before the European elections and against a backdrop of the rise of nationalist parties, explains Julien Chavanne of international service.

The political agreement will still need to be formally approved by the Council and the European Parliament. The objective is a final adoption of all the texts before the European elections in June 2024.

Read alsoAfrican migrants are fewer in number than European migrants

(And with AFP)