European Union lawmakers approved a revamped immigration system on April 10 after several years of negotiations.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted the new Migration and Asylum Pact, intended to reform the EU’s immigration law, as agreed with its member countries, in hopes of managing illegal immigration into the union, according to a statement.
The plan was drawn up after 1.3 million people, mostly those fleeing war in Syria and Iraq, sought refuge in Europe in 2015. The EU’s asylum system collapsed, reception centers were overwhelmed in Greece and Italy, and countries further north built barriers to stop illegal immigrants from entering.
‘Mandatory Solidarity’
The legislation establishes a “new mandatory solidarity mechanism” that will require all EU members to help other members overwhelmed by mass illegal immigration, according to a statement and the text of the bill.The EU will establish an annual pool to which each EU member will have to contribute with either relocation of illegal immigrants to its territory or financial contribution, according to the statement.
The annual contribution quota is calculated as a weighted average of the country’s share of the total population and gross domestic product (GDP) of the 27-member bloc, as stipulated in the legislation. Each share is assigned a 50 percent weight.
For example, an EU member country’s population is 20 percent of the overall EU population, and its GDP is 10 percent of the bloc’s GDP. Then, the weighted average contribution of that country is 15 percent, calculated as the sum of half of the 20 percent population share and half of the 10 percent GDP share.
The country has to contribute its assigned quota, but it is free to decide on the type of contribution, which may be in the form of taking illegal immigrants to its territory or covering the costs for other EU countries to take immigrants, the bill states.
The legislation also sets a minimum contribution threshold. Each member country is required to take at least 30,000 immigrants and contribute 600 million euros ($640 million) per year.
Response to Immigration Crises
The bill also stipulates that all member states must contribute to support an EU member whose immigration and asylum system has become “non-functional” because of the mass influx of illegal immigrants by land, air, or sea, according to a statement and the bill text.This provision also applies to “instrumentalization of migrants,” the statement reads.
Screening at EU Borders
The bill establishes new screening rules that include identification, health and security checks, and collecting biometric data, according to a statement.
Asylum and Deportation Procedures
The bill establishes a time limit of up to 12 weeks for asylum procedures conducted at or near EU external border or transit zones, according to the statement. Asylum seekers whose applications are rejected will be deported within 12 weeks.
Illegal immigrants will be entitled to free legal counseling in all administrative procedures.
Reception of Asylum Applicants
The bill lowers the time limit for authorities to grant work permits to asylum applicants from nine to six months, according to a statement. Asylum seekers “will get access to language courses, civic education courses, or vocational training courses.”Children should go to school within two months after arrival, and unaccompanied minors must be assigned a guardian shortly after applying for asylum, according to the statement.
EU Resettlement Program
EU countries can participate in the EU resettlement program for immigrants voluntarily, but the EU can set resettlement targets for specific regions and countries for two years, according to a statement.How MEPs Voted
The new Migration and Asylum Pact consists of 10 legislative texts, each voted on individually, according to the statement.The part of the bill addressing crises due to the mass influx of illegal immigrants was approved by a narrow 29-vote margin with 46 abstentions. The part modifying asylum procedures passed by a slim margin of 32 votes with 51 abstentions.
The part of the bill regulating the resettlement program was adopted by a margin of nearly 300 votes with 14 abstentions.
The part regulating the handling of asylum seekers passed by a 236-vote margin, and the part expanding EU’s centralized biometric system passed by a 232-vote margin.
The bill must be approved by the EU Council, another legislative body, to become law.
Controversies
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at a press conference before the bill was voted on that the pact would be “unacceptable for Poland.”
The effective migration policy needs effective border protection and effective control of who enters the country, Mr. Tusk explained.
“We will find ways so that even if the migration pact comes into force in roughly unchanged form, we will protect Poland against the relocation mechanism [or paying for relocation],” Mr.Tusk told reporters.
Beata Szydlo, a member of the European Parliament representing Polish right-wing opposition party Law and Justice and a former prime minister, criticized the pact in a post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The EU’s migration policy is very wrong and needs to be changed. But you can’t put out the fire by adding fuel to it,” she said.
The proceedings in the parliament were briefly interrupted by a small but noisy group of demonstrators in the public gallery who wore shirts marked, “This pact kills” and shouted, “Vote no!”
Eve Geddie, Amnesty International’s director, said, “This is a failure to show global leadership on refugee protection and building safe, fair and dignified pathways for people to reach Europe, whether in search of safety or of opportunity.”
