(Article for the Model of the Council of the European Union)
In a new session of the Council of the European Union, the members, after expressing their opinions regarding six amendments related to the common procedures for granting and withdrawing international protection, proceeded to vote.
The first one, sponsored by Denmark, Austria, Estonia regarding a sovereign authority controlling the border of the European Union received the support from the Minister of Germany, Julieta Suarez, who explained that they believe it to be the “first step to make a common procedure”. Czech Republic’s delegate, France Saint-Onge, opposed the initiative as it would mean “losing the sovereignty of our own borders”. This amendment got rejected.
The proposition related to a shared refugee database suggested by the representatives from Hungary, the Netherlands and Denmark in order to “achieve better cooperation” and combat against “illegal immigrants”, as expressed by Ilaria De Angelis, the Minister of Latvia, passed and will be included in the Directive.
On their side, Greece, Denmark and Slovenia discussed about the creation of a commission of experts to determinate the status of each country and future procedures of redistribution of refugees. This amendment, despite Christopher Wingnall’s –Romania– speech saying that this topic “should be decided by ourselves, not by experts”, also got approved.
Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia worked together with a set of modifications regarding control and protection of the borders and the lands of the Union. Their justification, expressed by the Minister of Poland, Nicolo Rascaglia, was to guarantee not only “the security of the states” but also to prevent potential terrorist attacks and illegal entrance of people.
While the adjustment that included using navy and military forces to assist got rejected; the ones asking for protection for the transit areas because they are considered as the ones that “carry the burden”, and for a prohibition to the refugees for leaving the country processing their asylum request, got approved.
