Eighth report on relocation and resettlement

The Eighth Report on Relocation and Resettlement provides an updated state of play since the last report of 9 November 2016 and assesses the actions undertaken by all relevant stakeholders from 8 November until 6 December 2016 (the reporting period) to deliver on the commitments under the relocation and resettlement schemes. In light of the continuous urgent need to provide support to both Greece and Italy, the European Council, at its last meeting on 20-21 October 2016, reiterated its call to further intensify efforts to accelerate relocation, in particular for unaccompanied minors, and existing resettlement schemes.

Since 6 November 2016, 1,883 people have arrived in Greece. The total number of migrants present in Greece increased compared to the previous reporting period and as of 6 December is around 62,000 migrants, with around 16,200 on the islands and around 45,800 persons on mainland Greece. In Italy, 9,395 people have arrived since 6 November, representing a higher trend than in 2015 (18% increase compared to 2015). Arrivals of Eritreans, the main nationality eligible for relocation in Italy, also remained high (Eritrea is the second highest nationality among arrivals to Italy with more than 888 arrivals in the reporting period, representing 11.6% of arrivals).

During the reporting period, 1,237 additional persons have been relocated, bringing the total number of persons relocated so far to 8,162 (6,212 from Greece and 1,950 from Italy). As anticipated in the 7th Report, November saw an increase in the number of transfers with 1,406 persons relocated – the highest number in a single month so far. The number of relocations from Italy (401) almost doubled the persons relocated in October and it is the highest to date from Italy, while the number of people relocated from Greece seems for the moment to have stabilised at around 1,000 per month. These figures represent a continuous positive trend.

As the obstacles hampering relocation are gradually being lifted, now it is the time for all Member States to build on the progress achieved so far and further intensify their efforts to continue increasing the monthly relocation pledges and transfers, and ensure all persons eligible for relocation in Italy and Greece are transferred by September 2017. This would require steadier efforts from all Member States through an increased number of regular pledges and transfers per month to ensure that as of December 2016 at least 2,000 people are relocated every month from Greece and at least 1,000 people from Italy and a continuation in the progressive increase in monthly pledges and relocation transfers.

As regards resettlement, implementation of the July 2015 Conclusions to resettle 22,504 people continues to be strong with 13,887 people resettled so far, which is more than half of the agreed number. Since the previous report a record monthly number of 2,035 people have been resettled mainly from Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. Part of the resettlement under this European scheme serves also to implement the 1:1 mechanism set out in the EU-Turkey Statement. Since the starting date of 4 April, 2,761 persons have been resettled from Turkey to the EU and Norway within that mechanism, including 544 since the previous report.

ESO: Background information: Commission reports on progress made under the European Agenda on Migration http://www.europeansources.info/record/commission-reports-on-progress-made-under-the-european-agenda-on-migration/

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