European Commission

European Commission presents options for reforming the Dublin Asylum Regulation (Full version)

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• published: 09 Apr 2016
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EN - Commission presents options for reforming the Common European Asylum System and developing safe and legal pathways to Europe - Press conference by Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and Dimitris Avramopoulos, Member of the European Commission in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship - Part in ENGLISH - FULL version- 06.04.2016 - European Commission, Brussels. Frans Timmermans: "Europe would need sustainable future proof migration policies that provide safe pathways for those who need protection and those who can contribute with the skill and talents to the EU´s economic development. Today we put forward some options to launch a political discussion that Europe needs and how it wants to put forward. (...) We need to reform our common European asylum system, the current crisis has shown the present system is not working, the problem we need to fix is that the system relays largely on where a person first arrives to the EU to decide which Member State should handle an asylum claim. This is neither fair nor sustainable giving the reality of the volumes of people which is put in huge bargain and just a few numbers of Member States. We can fix this either by adding the corrective fairness mechanism to Dublin what I would call Dublin+, with keep the current criteria and supplement them with arrangement redistribution to other Member States in specific circumstances. The other option would be to change the basic criteria so that the responsibility would no longer be linked with the Member State of first application or irregular entry. Instead, responsibility would primarily be allocated on the basis of a distribution key, although certain criteria such as family links could still override it. (...) We need to create more fairness in the system to be able to do what we need to do from a humanitarian and legal point of view and that is to still provide shelter to those who flee word persecution. (...) Dimitris Avramopoulos: "What has happened on Monday is only the start, we have to continue on full respect of EU and international rules and respect of fundamental rights. We need to ensure all necessary procedures in case of asylum request. I am also in touch with the Secretary General of NATO, Mr Stoltenberg to step up fight against smugglers. Deployement in Greece from officers from FRONTEX and EASO are taking place gradually and we have seen large numbers being deployed on the ground over the weekend and during this week. (...) The system as it stands today is not working. We need to:share responsibility, reduce asylum shopping prevent and sanction secondary movements.On Dublin – we present 2 options for discussion, and in both cases asylum seekers will be automatically distributed across the Member States based on a distribution key – but each under different circumstances. Because the base line is that we need a fairer sharing of responsibility and more solidarity engrained in our system. Let me be clear here however: we want an ambitious and substantial improvement of Dublin which leads to fairer outcomes for everyone. (...) The discussion and process that we launch today shows how determined the Commission is to improve and strengthen our system to respond to the real needs of a new reality – whether that is asylum, migration border systems, or security. We want to make our policies fit for purpose in the context of the challenges of the 21st century. This means building on what we have achieved so far, but also being bold and honest to radically improve where needed. And we are eager to take up the discussion now with the European Parliament and Council,to make all these ideas concrete. (...)" Q&A; with the Press (Part in English). © Frédérick Moulin 2016 - EU2016 - European Commission - All rights reserved.