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Since more than 1 million people sought asylum in Europe in 2015-2016, the European Union has struggled to find a common and effective approach to managing migration and asylum, leaving door openers and There was a huge gap between them and those who closed the door. Anti-immigration sentiment has grown across the continent in recent years, and far-right groups have capitalized on it, pushing the issue into the political mainstream and narrowing the divide.
As the United States debates border controls ahead of November’s presidential election, the issue is also at the center of debate in Europe ahead of June’s EU elections. With far-right candidates leading in opinion polls, EU negotiators were under pressure to deliver a deal, which they did.
The legislative package, known as the Migration and Asylum Agreement, took three years to negotiate and is being touted in Brussels as a major breakthrough.
“After nearly a decade of lockdown…the lockdown is complete. Europe will manage migration in an orderly manner and on our terms.” Margaritis Schinasposted on X by the Vice-President of the European Commission, which oversees immigration policy.
But the deal has faced intense criticism from rights groups who consider it a major setback for human rights and from experts who doubt it will do little to reduce the number of migrant arrivals.
Wednesday’s vote was briefly interrupted by demonstrators chanting, “This deal will kill lives.” Please vote down! ” Following the commotion, the speaker of parliament appealed for calm.
The plan aims to resolve a long-standing source of tension within the EU, with some countries doing more than others. It calls on frontline countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy to build detention centers, quickly process claims and expedite the deportation of those who fail. Other countries are obliged to resettle more people or provide financial compensation. This is a provision known as the ‘solidarity mechanism’.
The agreement has been under consideration for years, but it is not clear how some of its key provisions will work. For example, how will the vetting process be streamlined without infringing on people’s right to apply for asylum, or how will the new rules increase the proportion of people with removal orders who are actually deported? is not immediately obvious.
Human rights and refugee advocacy groups are wary of changes such as rules requiring children as young as six to provide biometric data.
“This agreement will set back European asylum law for decades to come. The likely outcome will be a sharp increase in suffering at every stage of the journey for people seeking asylum in the EU,” Amnesty International said.・Yves Guedi, Director of the International European Agency Office, said in a statement at the time of signing the agreement. “From the way they are treated by countries outside the EU, to their access to asylum and legal aid at European borders, to their acceptance within the EU, this agreement is designed to make it difficult for people to access safety. has been done.”
The deal comes as EU countries, particularly France and Germany, move to the right on immigration and migration.
In December, after the EU’s migration and asylum deal was signed, the French parliament adopted legislation imposing strict rules on immigration, making it particularly difficult for migrants to receive benefits and for their children to become French citizens. The bill was an effort to exclude Marine Le Pen and her far-right party, the National Rally.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has vowed to take a tougher stance amid growing support for the far-right anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The new rules still need to be approved by member states, but experts expect they could be approved relatively quickly as political consensus has already been reached. From there, countries need to think about how to actually implement the measures.
“From now on, it’s all about implementation,” Valerie Heyer, president of the centrist political group Renew Europe, said in a statement. “Ultimately, the success of the reforms will depend on how member states implement them.”
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