German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the Dublin procedures "obsolete", while French President Francois Hollande encouraged Europe not to be dominated by fear, in what was the first time in 26 years leaders from both countries addressed the European Parliament.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande discussed the situation in the European Union, in the European Parliament this afternoon.
Hollande and Merkel both mentioned the need for "more Europe" and solidarity among member states.
Merkel, whose country has taken in most of the hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving this year, has stuck to a positive message despite strains on authorities' ability to provide housing. France has been slow to respond but is catching up. Some European countries, particularly in the formerly communist east, don't want to take in any at all.
President Francois Hollande
French President Hollande called the EU Parliament address by the heads of the two nations "an exceptional event", however one that is not unprecedented as some 26 years ago, the German and French leaders had done the same.
At the time, he said, a great wind of liberty was blowing across the continent bringing new hope to the people. “26 years ago our two countries leaders presented action for solidarity, which was to be afforded in order to welcome in refugees, people who were convinced that Western Europe would be a home for them. All of Europe then fell into place. They were hoping to create a political union for Europe and create a large internal market with social rules and body forth the project of a single currency”.
“Some 26 years since that day Chancellor Merkel and myself are here addressing this house. Europe is living through new drama and tragedy, posing new challenges. Europe has been through a succession of crises, he said, mentioning the economic crisis and social crisis with millions unemployed. Now there is a humanitarian crisis with an influx of refugees caused by the destabilisation of the Middle East and Africa, due to warfare. He spoke of the situation in Ukraine as well as terrorist attacks. With each crisis fear appears and we must live with it, but not be dominated by it. There is a tendency to retreat into our own national shells”.
“Over recent times France and Germany have sought to find a common response over the trials we have seen and have responded by affirming clear principles of responsibility, solidarity and firmness. Since the attacks made on Europe challenges its culture and way of life, and aimed at the soul of our continent. I thank those who came to France after the Charlie Hebdo attacks and expressed solidarity against terror”. He spoke of solidarity shown between countries against such terrorism.
He spoke of the refugees, and mentioned the solidarity between the EU states including those on the front line, bearing the brunt, as well as other EU countries welcoming many refugees on their soil. “There is also solidarity with African countries who are working to improve conditions”.
He said there are many fleeing looking for a better life. He said that too many have died in atrocious conditions and “now we have seen some of those faces. Europe has sought first and foremost to save lives. I acknowledge that Europe was slow in tackling the tragedy in the Middle East and Africa. For those who are surrounded by the night and are looking for a light to steer by, Europe has not given sufficient largesse to those huddled in their camps elsewhere”.
There must be distribution of asylum seekers among member states and "we must ensure the rules are properly applied", he said..
President Hollande said that it would have been the first breach in the Eurozone, and that it would have been an abdication of European responsibility if the EU did not help Greece. “Greek Prime Minister Tsipras has shown courage that he asked the people before accepting the agreement”.
He said that Europe itself must do its part for the responsibility for security. He spoke of the importance of the Passenger Names Record directive and the need to adopt it.
Turning to the Syrian conflict, he said the Jihadists hold many things against the EU and that Assad’s regime continues to nourish and feed that disaster. “People are being killed daily. What is happening there will determine the balance in that region, and if we allow the religious Shiite vs Sunni conflict, and this has been the case, to grow further. Do not think we would be protected. This would be all out war that could spread to our territory. We must act in the face of those threats and all of the EU must in humanitarian and economic terms, bring an alternative to ISIS and Assad. It is in our own best interest as Europeans, and I send a call to all Europeans to help bring about this transition. We must all lend our support to find a settlement, a solution”.
He spoke of cooperation with the African countries, mentioning the Valletta Summit, which will affect the root causes for departure. We must make it possible for there to be liveable situations in their countries.
Turning to sovereigntists, “Europe must affirm itself otherwise we would see the demise, back to national borders, the abandonment of the Euro”.
He proposed that the Eurozone should be consolidated and beefed up as a basis for policies, fiscal modernisation, combating tax and social dumping and doing more with the Juncker plan. He said that the Schengen area needs to be strengthened. Returning to internal borders would be a tragic error.
He mentioned that effective controls of external frontiers means putting in a European border guard system and coast guard system, as well as a common list of safe countries of origin.
He spoke of the need for a common asylum regime in all of its dimensions for the EU. “Either we go forwards or backwards”.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
German Chancellor Merkel spoke of the need of a stronger united Europe.
Our foreign security policy must continue to be aimed at preventing the causes that result in people fleeing their countries, and aimed at preventing conflict.
The Chancellor mentioned the large number of migrants fleeing to Europe, and the need to try and solve the situation in the countries of origin. ”In these months we have seen global events that have closely involved us, events that happen whether we like it or not. We cannot shut ourselves out from the world and everyone in it”.
She spoke of the need for those fleeing persecution to receive help, but also spoke of the need to help sort out the problems in Syria, and the need for refugees to have future prospects.
"Why do people flee from Africa, because they have no prospects and there is hunger. Combatting climate change is one way of dealing with this".
“Turkey plays a key role and is a starting point for irregular migration. They have been doing extraordinary things for 2 million migrants but they need support and also help against human traffickers”.
She said that the EU supports all efforts to try and form a unity government in Libya. “The whole EU will pull together on these issues and we must not fall prey to the idea of acting nationally in these moments, and to the contrarym we must work together”.
“It is now that we need more Europe, the courage Europe has shown in the past when it mattered. Germany and France stand ready and agree that we must implement the proposals by the commission. We agree with EU Parliament and its resolution on 10th September, that it is not possible to deal with refugee crisis by going out on our own as countries.
“It is only together that we can fight human traffickers and set up hotspots that will help countries on the borders. It is only together that we will be able to have the returns agreement brought about. Only by having a fair distribution and relocation of refugees around Europe can we deal with this issue. The Dublin procedure in current form is now obsolete in practice. When it has faced the challenges on our current borders it has proved not to be viable”.
She said that it will only be possible to tackle efforts to integrate refugees if done together we have many coming who want to integrate and we must uphold existing rules and people would have to learn part language. We also have a duty to see those coming in dire need as people and not just as an anonymous mass of people.
“It is for this reason that humanitarian minimum standards must be upheld for refugee accommodation and processing of asylum seekers. We are a community and we must orientate ourselves to the values set out in EU treaties, of tolerance, human dignity and respect of human rights and solidarity. This means these challenges must be carried by everyone all together”.
“Shutting ourselves off in time of the internet is illusionary and will serve nobody’s interest. We must face up to these problems as it is our values that bind us together”.
She mentioned that Europe must take care of those in dire need in neighbouring countries, mentioning that “we have responsibilities here and abroad. If we stand for those then we will come out of this stronger. We have to work harder to convince people of the value of Europe”.
EPP President
EPP President Manfred Webber mentioned the challenges ahead, and the need to ensure that Europe can act and not just negotiate. He said that today “we are in a position to act, and agreed with the need to strengthen internal borders.
He said that there are two different political realities in the Parliament, one of the Party conflict, and one regarding a movement causing fear in Europe, wanting to break and tear down the EU. “These people have no idea how to solve the problems we face and this political reality is fortunately not too strong”.
“Today is the time for political leadership. We can be proud to say we have been strengthened with what we have achieved over the past 26 years and we must strengthen and deepens the Eurozone. We need more external policy involvement and think of how to improve external policy such as sanction”.
“This is urgent as the world will not wait for us, while dealing with Greece we saw the China market collapse. The world will not wait for us to sort out our internal debate, we must be committed and act”.
He mentioned the need for more Europe and more Union.
S&D President
S&D President Gianni Pitella said that the real drama in the Greek crisis was, where for a moment “we lost the idea that we are together. If Europe is downgraded to just a collection of states just there for convenience we lose our reason for being, and opens the Pandora’s box with calls for secession”.
“We need a new vision, a new breath of life and idea of the union where all member states will be players”.
He said that the direct elections of the President of the Commission, gave Parliament a new breath of air. “The Europe of people cannot be built on speeches, but on deeds. We need real authentic solidarity. We began with migration and must move forward with firmness and conviction”.
“I am glad you said the Dublin convention is obsolete. We need a more democratic Union. We have to work for better tax fairness and justice.
Europe has lived through a silent division, where the richer are becoming richer, and the poorer, poorer, and social dumping needs to be combatted”.
He spoke of the need for common diplomacy with regards to the Middle East.
EU Parliament President
European Parliament President Martin Schulz introduced the leaders and expressed his condolences with the French leader, following the flooding which left a number of people dead.
He said that together, these two leaders have come to the Parliament to talk about the future of Europe. He mentioned the history between France and Germany, and the wars which both fought against each other. He also spoke of the reconciliation between the two, which led to peace in Europe and allowed the continent to grow and prosper.
Without the European Union, the Franco German friendship would not exist in its current form.
“In these difficult times there are unprecedented challenges lie ahead. When Franco-German cooperation is not up and running, then all of Europe suffers. Differences between you have helped the Union move forward and no matter how frocked the negotiations, the outcome always propels the union forward as a whole”.
The thoughts behind the reason for the debate can be found here.