Page 17 - Aequitas Europa

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over 2000 people were arrested and 375 vessels member states must share this responsibility and not
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removed. leave it to the southern European countries.

In February 2017, “the EU took aim at the central Furthermore, that the lack of a common migration policy
Mediterranean route, popular among those fleeing from is a serious problem. Outside of Europe, territories such
Africa and arriving in Italy. It gave $245 million to the as Morocco are also feeling the pressure of an influx of
internationally recognized government in Libya — itself people entering their country to wait until a passage
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beset by conflict and politically instability — to stop boats becomes available to them.

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from leaving the country’s territorial waters” a move The EU-Turkey Statement
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which some have branded as “hypocrisy”. On the other
hand, open discussions on reform of EU asylum policy One year ago, “European states closed their borders
have led to suggestions that in order “to dissuade along the Western Balkan route and European Union (EU)
irregular migration and break the business model of leaders put in place the EU-Turkey Statement (the
people traffickers/smugglers, the EU needs to offer an Statement), a so-called temporary measure to stop
alternative to perilous journeys by opening safe and legal irregular migration to Europe. Now EU leaders are
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pathways for those in genuine need of protection”. It declaring their approach a success”. Essentially, the deal
has been argued that the UK’s failure to take greater between the EU and Turkey means that for every Syrian
responsibility in relation to the intake of refugees, sent back to Turkey, the EU would accept one refugee.
particularly given its involvement in the bombing of The controversial move has been criticized by Oxfam as a
nations in which many asylum seekers originate, is a fine test-pilot policy which erodes protections to refugees.
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example of the “disparity which is fuelling a disconnect Specifically, the EU-Turkey statement is scrutinized for
between states”. In countering this proposition it could several fundamental reasons; firstly, for the removal of
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be suggested that the UK are holding off on taking in safeguards in the asylum claim process. “Greek Law
greater numbers of refugees whilst the negotiation 4375/2016, put in place to implement the Statement,
process of Brexit is ongoing. In poor taste as that may be, exempts vulnerable cases–e.g., unaccompanied children,
the heavy infrastructural burden of taking in large single parents with minor children, and the elderly—and
numbers of asylum seekers could be being reserved as a those eligible for family reunification in another EU state
bargaining chip for more favourable trade deals with the from accelerated border procedures that truncate each
EU upon exit. That being said, a humanitarian crisis such step of the process. To date, these groups have been de
as this should be at the top of member state priorities, facto exempt from the admissibility procedure. This
and there is a firm sense from many that this is not the exemption enables them to lodge a claim for asylum in
case. Europe and frees them to move from the overcrowded
Italy and Greece have been carrying the greatest burden islands to sites on the mainland. In December, however,
in the reception of asylum seekers as both nations offer a the European Commission and Greek authorities released
gateway to Europe from the MENA regions. In a recent a Joint Action Plan (JAP)7 proposing to remove these
presentation to the World Economic Forum in Davos, safeguards. Thirteen Greek and international
both countries had been forceful in insisting that EU organisations have urged the Greek Parliament not to do

64 http://publications.europa.eu/webpub/com/factsheets/migration-crisis/en/ 69 http://dailyhellas.com/2018/01/25/italy-and-greece-urge-rest-of-eu-to-
th
65 https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-human-cost-of-the-eus- share-migrants/ Original article taken from The Telegraph Business, 25
response-to-the-refugee-crisis/ paragraph 8 January 2018. Article produced by Tim Wallace.
66 https://euobserver.com/migration/140610 70 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/mediterranean-
67 “Future-proof migration management: Commission sets out way migrants-crisis-refugees-morocco-spain-back-door-to-europe-
forward”, EU Focus, 2017, paragraph 10 a8121221.html
68 Philippe Sands, “Of refugees and resignation”, UCL Journal of Law and 71 https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/bn-eu-turkey-
Jurisprudence, 2017*UCL J.L. and J. 13 statement-migration-170317-en.pdf paragraph 1.
72 https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/bn-eu-turkey-
statement-migration-170317-en.pdf