Fourth report on relocation and resettlement

The Fourth Report on Relocation and Resettlement provides an updated state of play since the last report of 15 May and assesses the actions undertaken by all relevant stakeholders from 13 May 2016 until 14 June (the reporting period) to deliver on the recommendations made to accelerate the implementation of the relocation and resettlement schemes.

Since 13 May 2016, 876 people have arrived in Greece. This number seems to confirm the downward trend of arrivals due to the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement. In total more than 57,000 migrants are present in Greece, around 8,450 on the islands and around 49,000 persons on mainland Greece. According to estimates by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 65% of those present on the mainland (i.e., around 30,000 people) belong to one of the nationalities eligible for relocation.

In Italy, the improvement in the weather conditions has led to the expected increase in arrivals. 14,852 people have arrived since 13 May, following a trend similar to the same period in 2015. The last week of May showed a spike in arrivals with more than 14,000 people landing on Italian shores which also comprised a sharp increase in people belonging to one of the nationalities eligible for relocation (mostly Eritreans, up to 35% of new arrivals). Based on information from the Ministry of the Interior, 4,000 Eritreans are in Italy awaiting relocation.

During the reporting period, the rate of relocation has increased compared to the previous month. 780 additional persons have been relocated, more than double the rate for the previous period, bringing the total number of persons relocated so far to 2,280 (1,503 from Greece and 777 from Italy). Although this constitutes progress, it still falls far short of the Commission's proposed target of relocating 6,000 people per month. Moreover, it is still largely the same Member States as in the previous reports that have continued to increase their relocation efforts. The number of relocation transfers and pledges in Italy remains particularly low in view of the increasing number of potential applicants for relocation arriving in Italy. Overall, progress on relocation therefore remains unsatisfactory.

As regards resettlement, 7,272 people have been resettled so far of the agreed 22,504 under the July 2015 scheme mainly from Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. With the agreed actions set out in the EU-Turkey Statement only starting to be applied from 4 April 2016, 511 persons have been resettled from Turkey to the EU under the 1:1 mechanism out of which 330 since the last report.

ESO: Background information: Relocation and resettlement: Increased efforts on resettlement and relocation must be sustained http://www.europeansources.info/record/relocation-and-resettlement-increased-efforts-on-resettlement-and-relocation-must-be-sustained/

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