Text paves the way for new rules for collective management of reception and relocation of asylum seekers
The countries of the EU (European Union) signed on Thursday (8.Jun.2023) an agreement that modifies the migration and asylum policy adopted by the bloc. The measure was consideredhistoric”, after years of debates between the 27 members of the group.
Held in Luxembourg, the negotiations lasted 12 hours. Only Hungary and Poland voted against. According to euronewsBulgaria, Czech Republic, Malta, Lithuania and Slovakia abstained.
The subject gained relevance in 2015, when more than 1 million people –mostly refugees from the war in Syria– arrived on the European continent via the Mediterranean. In 2022, the EU received over 962,000 asylum applications, the highest number since 2016.
The decision paves the way for new rules for the collective management of the reception and relocation of asylum seekers.
“It is a historic step and a great success to finally be able to unite so many Member States around a common position”, celebrated Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister of Migration of Sweden. The nation, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Council, is one of the biggest supporters of the so-called Migratory Pactpresented by the European Commission in September 2020.
“We have shown once again that, by working together, the European community can achieve great things in the field of migration”, added Stenergard.
According to the approved proposals, EU Member States would not be obliged to receive migrants. They would have 3 options to choose from:
- receive a certain number of asylum seekers arriving in another EU country;
- offer financial compensation of around €20,000 (over R$106,000 at current exchange rates) for each asylum application not reallocated, limited to 30,000 applicants per year. The money will be sent to an EU fund;
- pay for the return of rejected applicants to their country of origin.
Now, the deal needs to be approved by the European Parliament. The aim is for the legislation to be completed before the EU elections next year.
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