Brussels tries again for common asylum rules

The European Commission yesterday tabled revised proposals aimed at stimulating a compromise between the 27 member states and the European Parliament over proposals to streamline rules on asylum and give rights to people with humanitarian protection.

The proposals, in various forms, have been in discussion for three years, without agreement.

Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said she has “no illusions” about the EU’s promise to have a common set of rules by 2012 as member states were still resisting the proposals.

The new set of proposals have left on the table one of the most contentious issues in the previous package – a revision of the so-called Dublin II rules. This aims for a temporary suspension from these rules for those member states like Malta experiencing a sudden influx of illegal immigrants.

According to the current rules, asylum applications have to be dealt with by those member states where asylum seekers place their first application, clearly posing an extra burden on frontier member states like Malta and Italy. The Commission is suggesting that these member states should be exempted from this rule if they are overwhelmed by arrivals. However member states have so far rejected this amendment.

“It is unacceptable that, within Europe, with its common values and laws, and its states that are signatories of the same international agreements, the level of protection of asylum applicants varies to this extent,” from one country to the next, Commissioner Malmström said yesterday in Brussels.

“The same individual, applying for the same reasons, has a 75 per cent chance of having his application accepted in one country and less than one per cent in another.”

With the migration pressure resulting from the Libyan conflict, she said she hoped to see the proposals approved without delay.

The Commission is aiming to set standards to speed up the review of applications – which should take no more than six months at first instance – and to guarantee legal assistance and information for applicants.

It also wants guarantees on the right to housing, health care, material support and education, as well as to work legally within six months of obtaining international protection.

Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil, who is the European People’s Party (EPP) spokesman on migration, welcomed the proposals yesterday but warned that major adaptations would have to be made in order to reach an ­agreement.