The EU puts immigration back on its agenda

Migration, one of the “soft bellies” of the EU, has come to the fore in recent years as one of the areas of greatest disagreement between the member states of the Union.

There has been an increase in the number of irregular migrants from Africa and Asia to the EU, which has been exposed to various waves of immigration following the war in Syria, the reinstatement of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Russia’s attack on Ukraine. According to data from the EU border protection agency Frontex, the number of irregular migrants arriving in EU countries since 2016 reached its highest level last year. In 2022, 330,000 irregular migrants entered the EU. This number means an increase of 64 percent compared to 2021.

This increase is especially concentrated in the Western Balkans and Central Mediterranean route. Those entering the EU via the Western Balkans route account for about half of the total number. Syria, Afghanistan and the Tunisians enter the EU mainly from the Western Balkans route, and Egypt, Bangladesh, Tunisia and the Syrians from the Central Mediterranean. In addition, there is an increase in the number of people coming to the EU from countries like Pakistan, India, Burundi, Cuba and Nigeria.

Furthermore, there are about 4 million Ukrainians in EU countries who are currently granted temporary protection status.

controversial issue

Irregular migration, which caused a major crisis in the EU in 2015 and 2016, is at the forefront of the most controversial issues among EU countries, especially as some member states’ approaches to migration are quite different from each other.

As a result, no consensus has been reached on the Migration and Asylum Agreement proposed by the EU Commission in September 2020. The EU Commission wants rapid progress on this agreement at the EU Leaders Summit to be It will take place on February 9 and 10.

The EU Commission, which is the EU institution responsible for managing irregular migration, wants to make progress in the short term on four sections. They are the reinforcement of the external borders, the acceleration of the return of those who request asylum but are rejected, the regulation and effective solidarity with the asylum-seeking countries and the work to be carried out with non-EU countries in terms of return.

PRIORITY AT THE TURKEY-BULGARIA EXTERNAL BORDERS

The reinforcement of the external borders is one of the issues that the EU puts in the foreground against irregular immigration. Importance is attached to Frontex, the EU’s border protection agency.

Increase the staff and equipment at the borders of Frontex, whose name has come to light especially because it condones and even helps to expel immigrants from Greece, and increase EU funds for member countries to strengthen infrastructure at borders. borders. at the forefront in this regard.

The border between Turkey and Bulgaria ranks first among the priority external borders. The EU Commission declares that it is open to other member states to participate in the strengthening work to be carried out for this border.

On the other hand, the idea of ​​establishing reception centers outside the borders of the EU is being raised again within the EU. For example, it is requested to discuss the proposal to establish a reception center in an African country, receive and process asylum applications there, accept the applicant in the EU or send him back to his country, depending on the result. (AA)