EU heads of government agreed on better control of the EU’s external borders. According to Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the distrust between countries of arrival, such as Italy, and countries of destination, such as the Netherlands, has disappeared. Talk about a “breakthrough”. “This hasn’t happened for twelve years and it gives me an expectation that something fundamental has changed.”
Due to the growing number of migrants, EU countries feel the need to finally break the deadlock on sharing the burden of reception. After the EU summit, Rutte hopes it will work now. “There is definitely momentum right now. But together we have to make sure we keep it.’
The various camps came together in strengthening the external borders. “Substantial European funds will immediately be allocated for, for example, additional cameras, patrol cars, watchtowers, aerial surveillance and modern surveillance technologies,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said later.
No fences or walls
Rutte mentions an amount of 2.7 billion euros. However, none of this goes towards building border fences or walls on the Turkish-Bulgarian border, for example, even though many EU countries are pushing for it. But that’s not a problem, according to Rutte, because other member states can help, for example. That thorny issue “was actually resolved in a very practical way.”
The 27 EU leaders have struck a balance between the wishes of a country like the Netherlands and countries on Europe’s external border, the prime minister believes. The first camp urges countries like Italy and Greece to register migrants. But they fear that other member states will not take their place on the newcomers and will stay with them.
North Africa
That is why the EU will conclude agreements with the countries of North Africa, for example, from which migrants leave for Europe, on the fight against human traffickers and on the return of unwanted migrants. If a member state decides that a migrant is not welcome, other EU countries should follow suit. They are also working on a joint list of countries safe enough for the return of migrants. There will be experiments with a rapid asylum procedure immediately at the external border.
Source: BNR
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