EU approves revamp of migration rules ahead of election

Brussels — European MPs on Wednesday approved a revamped migration system that the pro-EU political centre promises would reduce irregular arrivals as it seeks to stem gains by the far right ahead of the bloc’s parliamentary election in June.

The system aims to cut the times for security and asylum procedures at external EU borders, and increase returns to reduce unwanted immigration from the Middle East and Africa, a high priority on the bloc’s agenda.

After eight years of feuding between the bloc’s 27 member states, the compromise proposals lay out a delicate balance between the obligations of arrival countries such as Italy and help from rich destinations such as Germany.

But it has been squarely criticised by anti-immigration, Eurosceptic and far-right parties for not going far enough to stop migration, while leftists and rights activists have lambasted it as a major blow to human rights.

“We will be able to better protect our external borders, the vulnerable and refugees, swiftly return those not eligible to stay, with mandatory solidarity between member states,” said EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson.

The vote came as the broad political EU centre feels pressure from the far right, which is expected to gain seats in the European parliament election in two months.

Migration has been a hot issue since more than a million people — mostly Syrian refugees — arrived across the Mediterranean in 2015, catching the EU unprepared.

The EU has since tightened its borders and asylum laws to prevent any repeat of the chaos, and vows to stay the course.

Long implementation

More than 46,000 people have entered the wealthy bloc of about 450-million inhabitants so far this year outside regular border crossings, according to UN data. About 400 people are estimated to have perished while attempting to get in.

“The EU is demonstrating that united, we can establish this needed reform,” said the head of the liberal faction, Valérie Hayer.

“Now, it is all about the implementation,” she said, adding that was the responsibility of the member states and that human rights violations must be punished.

The vote was briefly interrupted by protesters in public galleries calling on the MPs to reject the proposals, while human rights groups expressed criticism of the new system.

Global activist group Caritas said it was “concerned about its potential negative impact on thousands of people’s lives because the new rules clearly limit access to protection for those in need”.

Activists say the changes allowed for large-scale internment, including children, and give member states the option to buy themselves out of hosting new arrivals. They criticise the EU for asking foreign states to handle migrants without what they say would be sufficient safeguards of their rights.

Poland said after the vote it wouldn’t accept an EU immigrant relocation scheme but, alone, it cannot stop the revamp when the majority of member states are expected to approve it later this month.

EU states would then have two years to implement the system, though analysts warn not to expect rapid major changes

Reuters