The EU reaches an agreement on the migration crisis

According to the EU Council statement, representatives of the Member States agreed on the last element of the Agreement on Migration and Asylum at their ambassador-level meeting today in Brussels.

The new regulation stipulates that a member country experiencing an influx of migrants can speed up asylum procedures, receive some of the refugees from other member countries and request solidarity, such as financial aid.

From now on, the agreed text will be negotiated between the European Parliament (EP) and the Council of the EU.

At the meeting of interior ministers last week an agreement could not be reached on this issue due to the conflict between Italy and Germany.

Germany’s proposal to support non-governmental organization (NGO) ships providing humanitarian aid and search and rescue services in the Mediterranean was rejected by Italy, which was currently going through a migration crisis, claiming that it was “an attractive factor for immigrants.” .

On the other hand, a session was held in the EP General Assembly on accelerating the adoption of the Agreement on Migration and Asylum.

In his speech here, the vice-president of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas, recalled that the EP will hold elections next year and stressed that “time is running out”.

Schinas said: “All of Europe is watching us. History is watching us. If we fail, the enemies of democracy; “We will fuel false Russian disinformation claims that Europe cannot manage migration,” he said.

The fight against irregular migration has been one of the most controversial issues among EU countries for years.

In September 2020, the EU Commission proposed the Agreement on Migration and Asylum, which includes elements such as solidarity between member states, strengthening the EU’s external borders, the rapid conclusion of asylum applications and the acceleration of the return to their countries of origin of those whose applications are rejected. and increase cooperation with countries of origin. However, in the many meetings held to date, EU countries have not been able to reach a consensus due to their very different attitudes towards immigration. (AA)