Refugees: How Europe failed
European promises of solidarity with people in need were tested in 2011. It is worrying to note that Europe, collectively, did not pass the test. Now, all member states of the European Union must take responsibility and make sure that 2012 will be a better year for asylum matters.
Two events in the past 12 months stand out as having profound, world-altering consequences.
First of all, the deepening economic crisis, which, in turn, became a crisis of confidence in our leaders and in Europe’s capacity to find common solutions. Secondly, the Arab Spring. In Tunis, Cairo and beyond, citizens rose up to fight for liberty, democracy and human rights, throwing decades-old assumptions about their societies overboard along with their oppressors.
From a European perspective, these two events are inexorably linked. As the economic crisis kept the EU looking inward this year, unrest in Northern Africa and elsewhere has forced many to leave their homes. So can Europe stay committed to helping those in need of shelter while handling its own crisis?
The numbers at hand to answer that question give cause for concern. In the first half of 2011, over 75 per cent of all asylum applications were made in only six EU member states. That leaves a long row of European countries that can and must do more. And as over 700,000 people were forced to flee the violence in Libya, many ended up in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. Of the 8,000 people identified by the UN as being in particular need of help, all EU member states only managed to promise to receive 400. Norway, a non EU-country, accepted nearly as many by itself.
Meanwhile, more than 50,000 migrants crossed the Mediterranean in rickety vessels to the EU. Far too many died trying. Others arrived at the Italian island of Lampedusa and Malta and, at a pledging conference last spring, European countries had the chance to show their solidarity. The result? A mere 300 refugees being relocated from Malta to other member states.
Only a few weeks ago, the world convened in Geneva for a ministerial conference on refugee issues, the biggest gathering ever of its kind. For a full year preceding the event, the UN refugee agency called on all countries to come to Geneva with pledges to accept refugees. The bid from the EU came to zero, as member states were unable to agree on a joint pledge.
An underlying problem is the political mood in many member states.
We have not seen as many populist and xenophobic parties in European national parliaments since before World War II. True to form, they exploit the current crisis, trying to shift the blame from poorly managed national economies to immigrant populations. Here, we need European and national leadership to make sure that populist logic does not dictate the agenda.
Because, contrary to what the xenophobes would have us believe, the number of asylum seekers in Europe is far lower today than it was 10 years ago. And Europe is by no means exceptionally open in its asylum policies. There are far more refugees in Kenya alone than there are in the 27 EU countries.
However, unforeseen events like the Arab Spring can overstretch the asylum capacity of any country and Europe has to be prepared to support such member states so that the people who arrive here are received in dignity.
Despite common minimum rules, several countries’ asylum systems do not function well enough, leading to unacceptable reception conditions for migrants. And those seeking asylum face severe uncertainty as standards in granting refugee status differ greatly between countries. Such disparities are not acceptable in a European Union where we have signed the same international conventions and unite around the same values. The EU needs common high standards and stronger cooperation to ensure that asylum seekers are treated equally in an open and fair system, wherever they apply.
That is why the EU has been inching towards a common asylum policy for over a decade and has set the deadline to 2012 for putting the common system into place. Some positive steps were taken in 2011 but negotiations between member states are still too slow-moving. Now, we brace ourselves for the new year, when those talks need to be significantly intensified.
I am convinced that we are perfectly capable of dealing with our economic difficulties while staying true to our ideals of openness, tolerance and solidarity. Our commitment cannot be a zero-sum game.
This year, Europe must widen its perspective and ensure that the common asylum system is finally put into place.
The author is European Commissioner for Home Affairs.
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Jimmy Magro
Jan 20th 2012, 11:23
The last paragrpah is the solution as proposed by Ms Malmstrom. As you can see again the solution is based on a legal document being approved by the Member States. Solutions based on a legal document are due to fail and everyone understands that is not the root of the issue.
Once the title deals with failure, the solution being proposed will again make the EU another failure. What the EU is doing is incentivising migration into the EU to provide cheap labour to the capitalist machine.
The EU should give a strong message that it is the "exporting" countries themselves that must find a solution to their plight, wars, famine and other causes that lead to mass migration.
If the EU continues to build legal reception policies, it is just telling the migrants to continue to come to the EU.
Joe Fenech
Jan 20th 2012, 10:19
Want to help Africa? DO THE RIGHT THING:
free it from its dictators who are there to benefits the multinationals. And get the multinationals out. Then teach the people.
But don't get them in Europe. You're just relocating the problem you dodos but not doing anything to solve it!
Emma Xerri
Jan 26th 2012, 08:26
They know exactly what they are doing.
Globalist agents and shills for their corporate bosses all of them. That is what the EU has turned out to be.
Joe Xuereb
Jan 19th 2012, 22:21
Malta has always been important for its strategic geographical position. In the past it was a bridge from East to West and back again. The traffic now is South to North, usually one-way. It's an ill wind.... This was her only resource, this and its religious fervour. Unfortunately, this time round this coveted position has come to haunt. In the past colonisers came to stay because it was to their advantage, and often, Malta's. Today's colonisers are mere transients who want a better life. But a better life is not to be had in Malta, especially when the newcomer has hardly anything to offer other than his, usually, and her, with child, fervour to get on the next 'train' up north and thence, onwards. And certainly not as Christian soldiers these being 'wonderful' human beings just like us but that is where the similarity begins and ends. Integration?! When no nation on earth is fully integrated within its own kind, including family members. That, I'm afraid, is the harsh and unpalatable reality. But they still come, Europe being, they think (or they are told), their oyster, their Shangri-La.
The planet shrinks every day, and with recession, Europe visibly so. The media via the Internet spreads like wildfire: the countries that should/could share the burden drag their feet. After all they have read online that the Maltese are held over a barrel with their religious fervour.
Of course this religious 'blackmail' that is all out to help the needy appeals to many. The others are more astute but this does not help them and improve their quality of life, emotionally speaking. Especially if they are far-sighted which has never been the strength of the duped who prefer to live a life in abeyance like some age-old bill that gets shoved to the back of the kitchen drawer time and again. Until there is a knock at the door.
Ms D. Borg
Jan 19th 2012, 19:31
Cecilia Malstrom should start by trying to convince her own country.
John Azzopoardi
Jan 19th 2012, 11:49
In today's Europe and accept all of those who want to come to it's shores to obtain all free services that the European taxpaying citizens are paying for. And LIttle Malta definitely cannot afford thousands of people as has happened in the past 10 years to come to it's shores and stay here. The problems ahead for Europe will grow, becuase Europe is a mature market. Last week a report on CNN showed how portugese are trying to obtain visas to move to Brazil and the former African colonies...legally that is....to work and open up business. They are not moving to other EU countries because they know that the oppportunities are few but are willing to go to foreign countries where opportunities are greater than those in EUROPE>
John Azzopoardi
Jan 19th 2012, 11:39
In today's Europe and accept all of those who want to come to it's shores to obtain all free services that the European taxpaying citizens are paying for. And LIttle Malta definitely cannot afford thousands of people as has happened in the past 10 years to come to it's shores and stay here. The problems ahead for Europe will grow, becuase Europe is a mature market. Last week a report on CNN showed how portugese are trying to obtain visas to move to Brazil and the former African colonies...legally that is....to work and open up business. They are not moving to other EU countries because they know that the oppportunities are few but are willing to go to foreign countries where opportunities are greater than those in EUROPE>
Louise Vella
Jan 19th 2012, 10:09
How has Europe failed? Because on the one hand we have southern countries like Malta, Greece and Italy which receive the bulk of illegal immigrants, while they are already heavily over-populated. On the other hand we have under-populated northern countries, like Sweden, Norway and Denmark which are happy to preach to the others in the south without carrying their share of the burden. The Scandinavian countries send out apostles like the Swede Cecilia Malmstrom, the other Swede Tomas Hamarberg of the Council of Europe, the Norwegian Jon Hoisaeter of UNHCR Malta and the Dane Morten Kaerum of the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency. They tell us to take increasing numbers of illegal immigrants because (never mind!) the northern countries will help you with burden sharing. In reality Sweden, Norway and Denmark are among those who send us back those African illegal immigrants who manage to escape and are caught in their countries.
Jimmy Magro
Jan 20th 2012, 14:35
Itseems to me that there seems to be a hidden use of the principle "jobs for the blued eyed boys"
Please choose the reason of your report below: