(Article for the Model of the Council of the European Union)
It is no surprise that every country has their own interests that respond not only to their political party but also to their supporters’ demands. This was clearly reflected in the recent meeting of the Council of the European Union where the members fiercely exposed their points of view regarding the proposal of Anastasia Granito, Commissioner of the Council, about Common Procedures for granting and withdrawing international protection to refugees.
After briefly explaining the Directive, the Commissioner, in dialogue with the Press, stated that even though the crisis involves different areas of the world, it can be said that Europe is leading the field and it is its duty to establish “common procedures” and a “common solution” in order to follow the idea of collaboration and cooperation to the defense of the human being. The idea of the discussion among the Members is relevant as it is the best way to put on the table all the concerns and ideas to help, since all of them “chose to be part of the European Union”, concluded the representative of the Council.
After checking that there were 21 members present out of 28 –being Spain, Sweden, Italy and France the most notorious absents–, each Minister expressed their concerns and perspectives regarding the Asylum process, dividing the opinions in three main groups.
The first one was opened by Alessandro Foà, the Minister of Austria, who expressed his apprehension related to a situation that affects his country very strongly. Following his statement, Belgium –represented by Ludovica Ciarravano and Maria Baratti Rainer– and Croatia –with Giulia Burchi as its delegate–, asked for common procedures to face a “worldwide problem that cannot be restricted to the European area”. Chiara Toselli, from Denmark, Gina del Sorbo, from Finland and Ilara De Angelis, from Latvia have agreed to share the burden but also remarked the possibility to be “more prudent” from now on as the applications for asylum keep growing higher and higher.
In the same position but with a stronger inclination towards the open-door policy, the representative of Germany, Julieta Suárez, remarked the humanitarian part of the crisis, setting the idea of facing the “global and moral challenge” together while the world keeps watching for every decision the European Union makes. Alexander James Ince Sekitoleko Kiggundu, The Netherlands Minister added that finding “common policies” does not mean “more commitment for ones and less for others” but a share responsibility with procedures “more respectful of human rights and strengthening of the European Union external borders”.
But not all were in favor of the new Directive: with a very concerned tone, the Ministers of plenty countries marked that it is dangerous to maintain a policy that keeps affecting different aspects of the European community. Bulgaria’s delegate, Francesco Rotunno, saw risks in possible entrance of terrorists as the “country cannot bear the costs neccesary to manage the crisis alone”. On the other hand, Luca De Benedictis, Minister of Cyprus defined the country’s position as against the Directive considering this as a “great issue involving the European Union”. At this point, also the Czech Republic’s envoy, France Saint-Onge and her pairs, Davide Aulino from Estonia and Loredana Crolla fom Slovakia, expressed their people’s worry about security as they agreed that they have no intention “to be the next” in a terrorist attack.
As a normal procedure of the meeting of the Council, each representative made a short speech before entering in the debate section. During this first part, Vittorio Emanuele Agostinelli, Minister of Hungary made himself very clear as he said “we don’t want a reshuffle of national and European Union competences in these fields” as it should be them who decide who they want to live with. Poland’s Nicolò Rascaglia and Carol Simonetti followed this statement adding their reluctance as “some of the refugees may have bad intentions towards the country that offers help”. Romania’s Minister, Christopher Wignall, finished his position by saying that “a strong, coordinated and prompt response from European institutions is required” as the country consideres that policies are not being implemented equally because the situation where both Romania and Bulgaria “act as a buffer zone between the Union border and the Schengen area cannot be allowed to continue”.
The rest of the Ministers present, Stefano Martì Aguirre from Luxembourg, Aurora Matteocci from Slovenia and Roberto Tedeschi from the United Kingdom, approved the idea of “help the ones that need help” but in an organized way and according to specific rules, putting an emphasis that things are not always simple but it could still be done by common sharing of responsibilities.
After the brief introduction to each country’s perspective, there was a voluntary exposition instance where –once again– the Ministers took their time to continue to expand their ideas about what is best not only for their people but also for the Union. Greece made his point by explaining that there is no more room for emergency plans as it is time for a long term strategy with “common policies, coordination and cooperation” among the Members to integrate the refugees. At this point, also Hungary agreed with dividing the responsibility as their government found the problems in the unprotected –and poorly financed– external borders.
This last topic and others were discussed privately among the representatives of the Member States of the Council, while trying to find common procedures and set amendments to the proposed Directive. In this point, it must be said that even though the final votes will be counted next Wednesday, it was recently informed to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the modifications/eliminations/incorporations suggested by the countries are as follows:
Sponsors: Denmark, Austria, Estonia
The control of the external border shall be ensured by a sovereign authority of the European Union
that has to be determined. Within two years this amendment shall be put into force.
Sponsors: Hungary, Netherlands, Denmark
The Member States should share all the refugees’ data in the European Union, especially the external border countries, according to the necessity to enhance safety, cooperation and a better identification of refugees.
Sponsors: Greece, Denmark, Slovenia
The Member States establish to create a commission composed by experts that in the next 4 months will elaborate an index as a guideline in order to:
-have a constant overview of the situation in each member state’s refugee issue
-be the guideline for a future common procedure on redistribution
Sponsors: Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia
Member States shall increase the security of the external borders of the Schengen area at points of entries using military and navy forces in assessing asylum applicants to threat applicants in the most humanitarian way and ensuring that every applicants get process through legal procedures.
Member States need to increase the internal control of the Schengen area.
Member States should guarantee the protection of transit-zone EU Member States.
The costs of the increased protection to the border states shall be covered with the EU budget.
Applicants are prohibited from leaving the member states from which their application is being processed.
As many Ministers expressed, there is still work to be done: even though the draft of the first amendments was released and alliances are being made, it is uncertain the result. In a recent press conference, the Hungarian Minister affirmed that he will take this occasion to present his “critics against the European Union”, to change it. As he explained, there are general disconformities with the model, especially with its refugee crisis approach. These next few hours will be crucial for the future of the Directive and, most important, for the future of the people waiting for the European Union to help them.
After briefly explaining the Directive, the Commissioner, in dialogue with the Press, stated that even though the crisis involves different areas of the world, it can be said that Europe is leading the field and it is its duty to establish “common procedures” and a “common solution” in order to follow the idea of collaboration and cooperation to the defense of the human being. The idea of the discussion among the Members is relevant as it is the best way to put on the table all the concerns and ideas to help, since all of them “chose to be part of the European Union”, concluded the representative of the Council.
After checking that there were 21 members present out of 28 –being Spain, Sweden, Italy and France the most notorious absents–, each Minister expressed their concerns and perspectives regarding the Asylum process, dividing the opinions in three main groups.
The first one was opened by Alessandro Foà, the Minister of Austria, who expressed his apprehension related to a situation that affects his country very strongly. Following his statement, Belgium –represented by Ludovica Ciarravano and Maria Baratti Rainer– and Croatia –with Giulia Burchi as its delegate–, asked for common procedures to face a “worldwide problem that cannot be restricted to the European area”. Chiara Toselli, from Denmark, Gina del Sorbo, from Finland and Ilara De Angelis, from Latvia have agreed to share the burden but also remarked the possibility to be “more prudent” from now on as the applications for asylum keep growing higher and higher.
In the same position but with a stronger inclination towards the open-door policy, the representative of Germany, Julieta Suárez, remarked the humanitarian part of the crisis, setting the idea of facing the “global and moral challenge” together while the world keeps watching for every decision the European Union makes. Alexander James Ince Sekitoleko Kiggundu, The Netherlands Minister added that finding “common policies” does not mean “more commitment for ones and less for others” but a share responsibility with procedures “more respectful of human rights and strengthening of the European Union external borders”.
But not all were in favor of the new Directive: with a very concerned tone, the Ministers of plenty countries marked that it is dangerous to maintain a policy that keeps affecting different aspects of the European community. Bulgaria’s delegate, Francesco Rotunno, saw risks in possible entrance of terrorists as the “country cannot bear the costs neccesary to manage the crisis alone”. On the other hand, Luca De Benedictis, Minister of Cyprus defined the country’s position as against the Directive considering this as a “great issue involving the European Union”. At this point, also the Czech Republic’s envoy, France Saint-Onge and her pairs, Davide Aulino from Estonia and Loredana Crolla fom Slovakia, expressed their people’s worry about security as they agreed that they have no intention “to be the next” in a terrorist attack.
As a normal procedure of the meeting of the Council, each representative made a short speech before entering in the debate section. During this first part, Vittorio Emanuele Agostinelli, Minister of Hungary made himself very clear as he said “we don’t want a reshuffle of national and European Union competences in these fields” as it should be them who decide who they want to live with. Poland’s Nicolò Rascaglia and Carol Simonetti followed this statement adding their reluctance as “some of the refugees may have bad intentions towards the country that offers help”. Romania’s Minister, Christopher Wignall, finished his position by saying that “a strong, coordinated and prompt response from European institutions is required” as the country consideres that policies are not being implemented equally because the situation where both Romania and Bulgaria “act as a buffer zone between the Union border and the Schengen area cannot be allowed to continue”.
The rest of the Ministers present, Stefano Martì Aguirre from Luxembourg, Aurora Matteocci from Slovenia and Roberto Tedeschi from the United Kingdom, approved the idea of “help the ones that need help” but in an organized way and according to specific rules, putting an emphasis that things are not always simple but it could still be done by common sharing of responsibilities.
After the brief introduction to each country’s perspective, there was a voluntary exposition instance where –once again– the Ministers took their time to continue to expand their ideas about what is best not only for their people but also for the Union. Greece made his point by explaining that there is no more room for emergency plans as it is time for a long term strategy with “common policies, coordination and cooperation” among the Members to integrate the refugees. At this point, also Hungary agreed with dividing the responsibility as their government found the problems in the unprotected –and poorly financed– external borders.
This last topic and others were discussed privately among the representatives of the Member States of the Council, while trying to find common procedures and set amendments to the proposed Directive. In this point, it must be said that even though the final votes will be counted next Wednesday, it was recently informed to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the modifications/eliminations/incorporations suggested by the countries are as follows:
Sponsors: Denmark, Austria, Estonia
The control of the external border shall be ensured by a sovereign authority of the European Union
that has to be determined. Within two years this amendment shall be put into force.
Sponsors: Hungary, Netherlands, Denmark
The Member States should share all the refugees’ data in the European Union, especially the external border countries, according to the necessity to enhance safety, cooperation and a better identification of refugees.
Sponsors: Greece, Denmark, Slovenia
The Member States establish to create a commission composed by experts that in the next 4 months will elaborate an index as a guideline in order to:
-have a constant overview of the situation in each member state’s refugee issue
-be the guideline for a future common procedure on redistribution
Sponsors: Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia
Member States shall increase the security of the external borders of the Schengen area at points of entries using military and navy forces in assessing asylum applicants to threat applicants in the most humanitarian way and ensuring that every applicants get process through legal procedures.
Member States need to increase the internal control of the Schengen area.
Member States should guarantee the protection of transit-zone EU Member States.
The costs of the increased protection to the border states shall be covered with the EU budget.
Applicants are prohibited from leaving the member states from which their application is being processed.
As many Ministers expressed, there is still work to be done: even though the draft of the first amendments was released and alliances are being made, it is uncertain the result. In a recent press conference, the Hungarian Minister affirmed that he will take this occasion to present his “critics against the European Union”, to change it. As he explained, there are general disconformities with the model, especially with its refugee crisis approach. These next few hours will be crucial for the future of the Directive and, most important, for the future of the people waiting for the European Union to help them.
