The recent EU Council conclusions came under fire during a European Parliament session today, as MEPs took aim at the lack solid conclusions and decisions taken.
The 28-29 June the European Council reached agreement to set up "controlled centres", within the EU where newly-arrived migrants and asylum-seekers can stay while their status is clarified. The centres will be used to process asylum applications and differentiate between genuine refugees and irregular economic migrants. All migrants found in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations will be taken to the disembarkation centres. Location of resettlement will continue to be taken on a voluntary basis. While many topics were discussed, including the economy and Brexit, migration was at the centre of debate.
EU Council President Donald Tusk, during his opening speech, said that he appealed to the leaders, for the EU must get its act together by increasing military cooperation, preparing for worst case scenarios in terms of trade, and increasing unity in EU cooperation, including in migration. He said that progress was made on all issues, but added that the road ahead is long and not easy.
He said that the EU Leaders agreed that the EU must take greater responsibility for its own security. In order to bolster common defence, the EU will enhance investment, capability development and operational readiness he added.
He spoke about foreign threats to democracies, and said that the EU Council called on the EU Commission to present proposals to a coordinated EU response to this challenge, including Russia's disinformation attempts by December. "This is particular important in light of the signals of Russia's role in Brexit."
As regards migration, he said that three proposals were made - a dedicated budgetary tool to combat illegal migration, boosting support for the Libyan coastguard and disembarkation platforms outside Europe. These, he said, were supported by the leaders.
Tusk said that they agreed to support the Maltese authorities by sending a message to all vessels operating in the Mediterranean - including NGOs, to respect the law and not obstruct operations of the Libyan coastguard.
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said they have been waiting for months for the Brexit White Paper, and said that the EU Council will not accept that the Irish issue be isolated, in a way that it is the only issue not resolved by the end of discussions.
He said that when it comes to border protection, important decisions were made, and by 2020 there will be 10,000 forces at the external border. He said that the mandate for border protection forces needs to be expanded, and they should be able to act in member states as well, always with agreement with the relevant country. We need to ensure that we do not give the impression that the reception camps in North Africa are a return to neo-colonial attitudes. We need to work together with African countries to reach decisions."
EPP President Manfred Webber said that there was progress made in the last Council meeting, such as the centres in Africa and Europe, and the idea of Turkey and Africa being given some funds is positive. He said there is a good defence of the borders, and a programme to help in areas of the world where refugees can come to Europe.
He spoke of the need to combat human trafficking in the Mediterranean.
On Brexit, he said that the EPP would like to remind that people in Europe, in March 2019, need to know what it means to leave the EU. If there is just a transitional period, he said, it could be damaging politically as nothing would be happening. He said that long-standing partnership has to be defined.
S&D President Udo Bullmann slammed the Council conclusions, and expressed concern over the results. He said that the EU permanently sells victory where no sufficient progress was achieved. "This was one of the result of the last council."
"On migration, we lose lives. Each life is one life too much to lose. It's a scandal that we do not get our act together."
"We, the leaders of three parties in this House have written to you Tusk to place Dublin reform on the top of the agenda and we have not seen political response. What Europe needs is progressive leadership, and I could not detect that in the Council. I could see that some Heads of States tried to add additional value, but it is not enough. We need a complete Dublin reform."
"If I ask myself - what was the outcome of the final statement from the Council - it was that everyone has something a point where they can claim victory, but nothing is going to happen. This is not enough for Europe and the citizens, nor for the big challenges we have to face," Bullmann said.
Raffaele Fitto Vice-Chair of the ECR party said that when he read the full document he understood nothing was going to change.
He said that all of what was said on migration was generic.
ALDE Chair Guy Verhofstadt said that there is a clear failure to act by the council, especially on Dublin regulation.
On reception centres, the conclusions read that the Council will examine the idea. "This means it will take a while. You will examine it while you have different points of views."
"France has a centre in Chad, which is working very well. Why do you need to examine it, why not take a decision."
He recommended forcing the EU Leaders to meet in a room for days on-end till agreement is found on a number of issues.
Greens President Ska Keller highlighted that 100s of lives were lost over the past days because some member states wanted to keep the rescue boats out of the Mediterranean. "This is an active engagement against rescue at sea, against any sort of humanity and against international law."
"I wonder if anyone remembers Lampedusa in 2013, where we were sorry so many people drowned. Now this is happening again and we are turning a blind eye," she said.
She said that voluntary resettlement in the conclusions means not one members state would accept the people requesting asylum through centres in Africa. "This is the end of the right to asylum." This right was invented in Europe through the Geneva convention, with the aim not to allow people to suffer, she said. "We should not give up on that so easily."
"We should not extinguish the very human rights the EU stands for. We should stand up for human rights."
Curzio Maltese from the Confederal Group of the European United Left said nothing has been decided. He said that while Tusk says the EU has not abandoned Africa, "we already have."
He spoke of the importance of NGOs not becoming scape goats when Member States should be upholding their responsibility
Another MEP said that the EU was not being effective in handling migratory flows, while another spoke about threats to democracy and an open society. "The summit was an example of egos," another said, highlighting the abandonment of Dublin regulations, and the political crisis in Europe.
Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said that the EU does not leave anyone alone, and that the EU remains committed to uphold the agreement with Turkey. He said more than 600,000 loves have been saved thanks to the support of the EU Coastguard, and said that the Libyan coastguard is rescuing an increasing number of migrants.
He spoke of the need to further engage with countries in Africa. He said that an effective migration policy cannot be just about borders, and the reform of the Common EU Asylum policy is essential to ensure solidarity among member states, and to reduce secondary movements within the EU. He said they are so close to agreement that there is no reason for delay.
He said that Europe is no longer in a migration crisis, and the crisis Europe is faced with is purely political.
EU Council President Tusk, in his conclusions, said that he is sure the European people expect determination in "our action to rebuild the sense of security and order. They want this not due to xenophobia or to live in isolation, but want a political authority able to enforce the law, protect our territory and our borders. Many claim the EU is unable to efficiently protect the external border. This is a favourite argument of some new political movements, offering simple radical answers to the most complicated questions. They want to convince people that only strong men, anti-European, and with a tendency to authoritarianism are able to stop illegal migration. We have to prove that they are wrong and fulfil our political obligation."