Progress report on the implementation of the hotspots in Greece

The dramatic number of arrivals of migrants on the Greek islands in 2015 created a migratory and humanitarian crisis requiring urgent action. On 29 September 2015, the Commission adopted a Communication outlining the immediate operational, budgetary and legal measures under the European Agenda on Migration, and calling for the full roll-out of the Relocation Scheme and Migration Management Support Teams working in 'hotspot' areas.

However, the Communication of 29 September found that the implementation of European Union Law with regard to building a Common European Asylum System has been proceeding too slowly in the Member States. As a result, on 14 October, the Commission presented a Communication on the state of play of the implementation of the Priority Actions under the European Agenda on Migration, setting out the next steps for the coming six months.

In particular, the Commission called on Greece to implement the action plan for the roll-out of the remaining hotspots by the end of November 2015, improve the registration capacity within the EURODAC fingerprinting system, enhance the temporary accommodation capacity in the hotspots, and create a crisis management command structure to ensure the daily monitoring of the hotspots and the relocation exercise.

Although since the last report in October the number of new arrivals has been decreasing, current numbers remain very high. For the proper management of these exceptionally high migration flows, it is crucial to implement priority actions in five key areas: Establishing functioning hotspots, implementing the relocation program, ensuring effective returns of migrants not entitled to international protection, improving border management and creating sufficient and adequate reception capacity.

Some progress has been made since the European Council of 15 October, albeit with delays compared to original planning. There is currently only one not yet fully functioning hotspot in Moria (Lesvos). The opening of further hotspots expected for the end of November has not taken place. However, works have started to expand and upgrade the Moria site and to construct the hotspot site in Leros. According to the construction workflow planning, both sites should be fully completed on 8 January 2016. In Chios, the site for the construction has been identified and construction supplies were delivered on 11 December. Provided the works start as planned in the week of 14-18 December, they can be completed in the first half of January 2016. Works in Kos have not advanced and have not yet started in Samos where the construction site remains to be identified. This work needs to be accelerated.

The Commission has dedicated specific efforts to assist Greece in the establishment of the hotspots, in particular through the direct day-by-day involvement of the Commission's Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS) – a new Commission service launched on 1 July 2015 under the direct authority of President Jean-Claude Juncker and providing specialised technical assistance to Member States to implement important administrative and structural reforms. The SRSS is assisted in Greece through a specific team from DG HOME with dedicated persons in Greece providing assistance on the ground with frequent visits to the five hotspot islands (one deployed to the island of Lesvos).

ESO: Background information: Refugee Crisis: European Commission reports on progress in implementation of priority actions http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-refugee-crisis-european-commission-reports-on-progress-in-implementation-of-priority-actions/

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