EUROPE-MIGRANTS/EU MINISTERS ARRIVALS EU interior ministers arrive for meeting to discuss migration policy

Record ID: 151416

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/EU MINISTERS ARRIVALS EU interior ministers arrive for meeting to discuss migration policy
  • Date: 16th June 2015
  • Summary: LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG (FILE) (REUTERS) GERMAN AND EU FLAG EXTERIOR OF VENUE
  • Embargoed: 1st July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Luxembourg
  • Country: Luxembourg
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8FLYKKD51HY2RQUL2Q6RIHLEE
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: European Union interior ministers arrived on Tuesday (June 16) for a meeting to discuss the bloc's immigration policy.
    Following the deaths of thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean this year, EU governments have promised to act, but at a time of rising anti-immigrant sentiment and government spending cuts, they are divided over their emergency response.
    The Commission wants EU governments to agree to resettle 24,000 asylum-seekers from Italy and 16,000 from Greece over the next two years, as well as accepting more migrants overall.
    Italian interior minister Angelino Alfano urged his European colleagues to show more solidarity.
    "Europe have to behave like Europe because one of our value is the free circulation. The common asylum policy is based on the principle of responsibility and the principle of solidarity which we set up to avoid the political bankruptcy of Europe. The issue of immigration is precisely the kind of issue where Europe loses or wins. There is no draw," Alfano said.
    Before the meeting in Luxembourg, Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European commissioner in charge of migration, wrote to EU ministers to call for the EU's so-called return policy to be stepped up, in a letter seen by Reuters.
    Only 39 percent of migrants who were not granted asylum in the EU were returned to their home countries in 2014.
    Only refugees from states deemed by the EU to be known to be facing the worst strife will be taken in, meaning to date Syrians and Eritreans.
    German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve arrived together, insisting on the principles of solidarity and responsibility.
    "We are ready to help, to help massively by the admission, by registering. We are also ready to set up a system of distribution in Europe but this distribution must be for those who have a true chance to stay. The others who came for understandable economic reasons, which are not in line with immigration law, shall stay in Italy or Greece - the so-called hot spots - and from there be sent back to their home countries or region. And this too, through Europe and with European help," De Maiziere said.
    "The principles are solidarity and responsibility. Solidarity, yes, for the geographic redistribution and readmission. Responsibility, through the setting up of hot spots within the framework of the European Union. Responsibility through the setting up of a system for return for those who fall under illegal economic migration," Cazeneuve said.
    The recent decision by France and Austria to increase checks at their borders with Italy to prevent migrants from crossing has further soured relations, as the measures go against the spirit of Europe's passport-free Schengen zone.
    Italy says its European partners are shirking their responsibilities and leaving southern Mediterranean countries to handle the migrant emergency without effective support.
    Cazeneuve said France's controls were within existing agreements between the two countries.
    "When migrants pass through borders when it is established that they arrival took place in Italy then it is normal that they should be readmitted in Italy and we have some agreements for that. We are currently doing some controls so that these agreements are respected," Cazeneuve said.
    The EU executive is also set to discuss the Schengen border issue in a closed-door meeting with the Italian, French and German ministers.
    Avramopoulos called for changing the mandate of the EU border protection agency, Frontex, to allow it to carry out deportation missions on its own initiative and to support a single EU government to do so. At the moment, Frontex can only coordinate operations involving several EU countries.
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