Migration in Europe – 27.11.2007, Prague, Czech Republic

EU Migration and Asylum Policy

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CCME

Churches‘ Commission for Migrants in Europe is the ecumenical agency on

• Migration and Integration, • Refugees and Asylum, and • against Racism and Discrimination in

Europe

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CCME‘s Mission

CCME is the ecumenical organisation that serves the churches in their commitment to strangers, responding to the message of the Bible which insists on the dignity of every human being.

Migration – Normality and Reality

Reasons forcing people to leave their country are manifold:conflicts and warspolitical, ethnic or religious

persecution poverty and unemploymentNatural catastrophes, drought,

shortage of water…

Migration – Normality and Reality

Migration is however not only by force. Motivations are:Improvement of living conditionsEducation and trainingChanging lifeFamilyAdventureBut also: Mission

Net migration

Migration – Percepetions

Migration Africa-Southern Europe (Spain, Italy)

Flight, Dispair, RiskSmuggling and

Trafficking in Human Beings

Fortress Europe?

For years, decreasing refugees and asylum seekers in Europe

Little acceptance of immigration, despite demographic need

Migration regarded more a problem than a reality

EU Policy Migration and Asylum

80ies: Freedom of movement in the EU for EU citizens – right

90ies: Limitation of asylum with common standardsSchengen ConventionDublin Convention

1999-2004 Tampere Programme2004-2009 Hague Programme

Categories of EU legislation Asylum and

Migration

Migration of EU citizens in the EU falls under „internal freedom of movement“ within the EU (still with exemptions however of new EU members as of 1. 5. 2004)

Asylum and migration policy concerns citizens of non-EU countries („Third Country Nationals“) – e.g. persons from Ukraine

Asylum and migration policy is broadly ruled through EU Directives setting a framework which need to be transposed into national legislation

Competence of the EU in Asylum and Migration

Council of Tampere 15./16. Oct. 1999 decided an ambitious legal and political programme in the field of asylum and migration:

- Common European Asylum system

- Equal Treatment of Third Country Nationals

- Fighting irregular migration

- Cooperation with countries of origin

Protecting Refugees

Geneva Refugee Convention 1951EU Directives:

Temporary Protection (2000)Reception Conditions (2003)Definition and Status of Refugees

(2004)

Lack of protection for refugees

Decreasing rate of recognition of grounds of asylum, restricted access to asylum procedures

Dublin II Regulation (2003) and EURODAC 2002

Asylum prodedures directive (2005) No asylum procedure in case of „safe“

country of origin or „safe“ third countryExamination of the way, rather than the

reason for seeking asylum

Externalisation of refugee protection

Cooperation with countries of origin and transit

Readmission Agreements of the EU (Morocco, Ukraine, Russia)

Refugee protection in the regions, programmes since 2005/2006Region of Great Lakes/East AfricaUkraine, Byelorussia, Moldavia

EU Border Control Agency FRONTEX

Evaluation of EU asylum directives

Less refugees in most EU countries and the EU as a whole

Dublin II and Eurodac evaluation: Relative increase of cases in border countries in the South and East of the EU

Border countries do not treat all asylum claims if referred under Dublin II

Asylum Procedures Directive – EU Court of Justice, EP vs EU Council

Common European Asylum System

Green Book June 2007 and Hearing November 2007

Minimum Standards Common System and Status

Refugee Resettlement as durable solution and protection in other regions in cooperation with UNHCR

Migration Policy

Family Reunification Directive (2003)

Long Term Resident Third Country Nationals (2003)

Entry and residence for study, training (2004)

EU initiatives against irregular migration

- Cooperation between EU and EU Member States with Third Countries on limiting migration (Liaison officers for immigration, document verification prior to departure e.g. U.K.-France, U.K.-Belgium) - > Decison on a Network of immigration liaison officers (EC/377/2004)

- Action Programme Return (2002) and financial instrument return (15 million € per annum since 2005)

- Common Border Guard Units – European border agency FRONTEX (decided in 2004, seat in Warsaw), common curricula for border guards and financial instrument for border security

- EU Directive Common Standards for Return – under negotiation

New migration policy?

And the Czech Republic…

Compared to other countries in the region, low emigration

Transit country rather than destination for asylum seekers

Immigrants 2,5 % of the population

Churches‘ views and positions

The human being „created in the image of God“ deserves undivided dignity

„You shall treat the stranger among you as one of you“

Therefore, fair and humane migration policy and treatment of migrants, and proper protection of refugees.

CCME Rue Joseph II 174

B-1000 BrüsselTel: +32 2 234.68.00Fax: +32 2 231.14.13E-mail: info@ccme.be

Web: www.ccme.be