Tenth report on relocation and resettlement

Since 2015, to address the severe refugee crisis, the European Commission has been intensively working towards putting in place all the different components of a comprehensive migration policy that the European Council and the European Parliament have repeatedly called for. It includes both short and long term measures, from tackling migratory flows outside the EU and stemming irregular flows to and within Europe, to ensuring effective control of our external borders through notably the establishment of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, to reforming the Common European Asylum System and providing enhanced paths for legal migration, including through the establishment of a common EU framework for resettlement.

The temporary emergency relocation and resettlement schemes are key elements of the Union's response to better manage migration and reflect the principle of responsibility and solidarity in practice. Together with all the other measures needed or now in place in order to reduce, in a sustainable manner, the flows of irregular migrants to Europe, these schemes are important components of the wider strategy to regain control of the situation.

There cannot be a fair sharing of responsibility without solidarity. The Commission’s measures and proposals are based on this principle and cannot be disassociated from one another. In line with the Malta Declaration of Heads of State or Government, all elements of the EU's comprehensive migration policy must be implemented. The resumption of Dublin transfers to Greece recommended by the Commission as of 15 March 2017 cannot be separated from the collective responsibility to alleviate the pressure on Greece by implementing the obligations under the Council Decisions on relocation. Moreover, while it is essential that the emergency relocation schemes are fully implemented in the short term to relieve the pressure from Italy and Greece, it is equally important, in parallel, to accelerate the work on the reform of the Common European Asylum System, particularly on the Dublin Regulation. Such reform will ensure that Europe has a fair but effective asylum policy based on a clear and fair sharing of responsibility among all Member States, including structural tools for coping with situations of particular pressure.

Although arrivals of migrants have significantly decreased in 2016, Greece remains under great pressure with around 62,300 migrants still present in its territory. Greece also has to focus resources on the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement and ensure the daily operations of returns to Turkey of irregular migrants having crossed from Turkey into the Greek islands after 20 March 2016. In Italy, 2016 marked a new record in terms of arrivals, with 181,436 (18% more than in 2015), of which 14% were unaccompanied minors. The measures put forward recently by Italy to step up its efforts to return those migrants that are not entitled to remain in the EU are welcome and should be implemented swiftly. Relocation should alleviate the pressure on Italy by sharing the responsibility in dealing with those migrants clearly in need of international protection.

The Commission has been reporting on a monthly basis on the implementation of the relocation and resettlement schemes. While on resettlement progress has been promising, the same cannot be said on relocation where overall progress has been slow. To encourage swift implementation of the relocation obligations, and based on the situation on the ground, the Commission set 6 specific targets to ensure the relocation of all those eligible in Italy and Greece in an effective and smooth manner within the timeframe of the Council Decisions. The Commission has called bilaterally upon Member States to increase their efforts to meet the set targets and most importantly their obligations. Those Member States and Associated Countries that were already active on relocation reacted positively and communicated to the Commission their monthly planning. However, the response from less active Member States was mixed.

All operational preconditions are there to make relocation operations happen and help Member States reach the set targets. Some Member States and Associated Countries are leading the way. Others need now to follow. Relocating all those eligible in Italy and Greece would be possible by September 2017 if all Member States pursue and deliver on their obligations. Intensified and coordinated efforts from all Member States as well as solid cooperation between all actors involved is now essential to make tangible progress on this key element of the European Union's comprehensive migration policy, as called upon by the Heads of State or Government.

ESO: Background information: Commission publishes implementation reports on EU's approach on migration http://www.europeansources.info/record/commission-publishes-implementation-reports-on-eus-approach-on-migration/

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