30 April 2015
In response to the recent migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, and to the European Council conclusions of 23 April 2015, the European Parliament (EP) has adopted a resolution calling on Member States to make full use of existing possibilities for issuing humanitarian visas and to make greater contributions to existing resettlement programmes.
The EP urges the European Commission to establish a “binding quota” for distributing asylum seekers among all EU countries and calls on Member States to seriously consider whether to trigger the 2001 Temporary Protection Directive or Article 78(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which foresees a solidarity mechanism in the event of mass and sudden inflows of displaced persons.
Furthermore, the EU and its Member States should also expand the area of operation of the Frontex –led operation Triton and to increase its mandate for search and rescue operations at the EU level.
Speaking to the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, announced that he supports a quota system for redistributing people benefiting from international protection within the EU and that the European Commission will present a redistribution system on 13 May.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has also highlighted the need to expand channels for safe and legal migration on a resolution passed on 23 April.
For further information:
- European Parliament, Joint Motion for a Resolution on the latest tragedies in the Mediterranean and EU migration and asylum policies, 28 April 2015
- European Parliament, Press Release, Migration: Parliament calls for urgent measures to save lives, 29 April 2015
- European Commission, Speech by President Jean-Claude Juncker during the debate of the European Parliament on the European Council conclusions of 23 April, 29 April 2015
- EP Press Conference, The situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic approach to migration, 14 April 2015
- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Resolution on The human tragedy in the Mediterranean: immediate action, 23 April 2015
- Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Report on The human tragedy in the Mediterranean: immediate action, 21 April 2015
- ECRE Weekly Bulletin, EU’s response to situation in Mediterranean fails refugees and migrants, say NGOs, 24 April 2015
This article originally appeared in the ECRE Weekly Bulletin of 30 April 2015. You can subscribe to the Weekly Bulletin here.