ASYLNYTT

Rådet har antagit lagändringar som gör det möjligt för medlemsländerna att omfördela resurser från de sammanhållningspolitiska fonderna och fonden för europeiskt bistånd till dem som har det sämst ställt för att hjälpa dem som flyr från det ryska militära angreppet mot Ukraina.

Den snabba ändringen av lagstiftningen om EU-medel är ett tydligt uttryck för EU:s fortsatta solidaritet med flyktingarna från Ukraina och med de medlemsländer som tar emot dem, framför allt de som gränsar till Ukraina.

Detta är ett viktigt steg för att medlemsländerna ska ha tillräckliga resurser för att tillgodose de allt större behoven av bostäder, utbildning och hälso- och sjukvård.

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Arkiveringsdatum 220324:

EU-kommissionen 22-03-23:

Ukraina: EU-stöd till medlemsländerna för att tillgodose flyktingars behov

EU-kommissionen redovisar i dag de åtgärder som vidtas för att stödja medlemsländerna så att de kan tillgodose behoven för människor som flyr från kriget i Ukraina och landets befolkning. Sedan Rysslands oprovocerade och omotiverade invasion har ca 3,5 miljoner människor - främst kvinnor och barn - kommit till EU under loppet av bara fyra veckor. Omkring 6,5 miljoner människor uppskattas vara internflyktingar. EU:s välkomnande av de människor som kommit till EU:s territorium kommer till uttryck genom att direktivet om tillfälligt skydd för första gången omsätts i praktiken, vilket ger människor snabbt bistånd och en tydlig rättslig status. Utöver omedelbart stöd i form av bistånd vid gränsen, mottagande och civilskydd vidtar EU i dag ytterligare åtgärder för att hjälpa medlemsländerna att se till att de människor som får stöd faktiskt kan utnyttja sina rättigheter till utbildning, hälso- och sjukvård, boende och arbete - kännetecken för vår europeiska livsstil.

Stödet omfattar följande:

+ Särskilt skydd för barn: Barn måste snabbt garanteras sina rättigheter utan åtskillnad. Det viktigaste är att de registreras vid ankomsten till EU. EU:s strategi för barnets rättigheter ger en övergripande ram för att skydda barn och se till att deras rättigheter tillvaratas. De nationella samordnare som nu finns inom ramen för den europeiska barngarantin fyller en central funktion när det gäller att samla och samordna insatserna på nationell nivå och tillsammans med regionala och lokala myndigheter. I detta avseende ges barn från institutioner (t.ex. barnhem) och barn som riskerar att utsättas för människohandel och bli bortförda särskild uppmärksamhet. Kommissionen utarbetar dessutom för närvarande standardiserade rutiner för överföring av ensamkommande barn.

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EU-parlamentet 22-03-24: War in Ukraine: MEPs unlock emergency funds for refugees (Extern länk)

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Arkiveringsdatum 210720:

Statewatch 21-07-13:

Presidency proposals on determining state responsible for an asylum claim

The Council of the EU is continuing discussions on the proposed Asylum and Migration Management Regulation. A paper circulated amongst member state delegations by the Slovenian Presidency on 6 July makes proposals on the sections of the text dealing with the criteria and mechanisms for determining the state responsible for an asylum application.

"3. The Presidency aims to continue examination of AMMR, starting with provisions of Part III - Criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible, in order to gain a broader picture of the whole proposal. In Annex to this document, delegations will find suggestions for modifications of Articles 1, 2 (points (a) to (q), (x) to (aa)) and 8 to 27, to be examined at the forthcoming informal meeting of the Asylum WP. Suggestions for modifications of Articles 28 to 44 will follow in due time.

4. The suggestions for modifications of Part III of AMMR are based on detailed examination of proposals and concerns stressed by Member States. As the Portuguese Presidency already noted in the presentation of its suggestions for modifications of the solidarity part of the AMMR at the informal meeting of the Asylum WP on 16 June 2021, there is a thin layer between technical and political issues. Considerations on a larger and more political scale are needed before addressing those issues in the AMMR text, taking into account the overall balance between responsibility and solidarity in the new Pact on Migration and Asylum as presented by the European Commission on 23 September 2020. Therefore, the Slovenian Presidency aims to continue the approach taken by the Portuguese Presidency. The attached compromise proposal thus aims at making progress at a technical level that the Presidency considers feasible for the time being, and which could contribute to the progress on the political issues at a later stage."

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Statewatch 21-06-23: Member states get to grips with "solidarity" proposals (Extern länk)

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Arkiveringsdatum 210616:

Statewatch 21-06-07:

Whip Greece so we can resume migrant removals, northern Schengen states demand

A letter from six northern EU member states, obtained by Statewatch, calls on the European Commission to take steps to make it possible to resume removals of asylum-seekers and refugees to Greece and put a halt to "secondary movements".

The letter (pdf), sent on 1 June, complains of "a rapid increase" in the number of people "travelling with their Greek travel documents for refugees and using the pretext of travelling for family or tourism purposes to enter the above-mentioned states," and then lodging an application for asylum.

It is addressed to Ylva Johansson (European Commissioner for Home Affairs), Margaritis Schinas (European Commission Vice-President and Commissioner for 'Promoting our European Way of Life') and copied to Notis Mitarachi, Greek Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy. It is signed by interior, justice and migration ministers from Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

The letter refers to longstanding court judgments preventing the return of asylum-seekers and refugees to Greece, due to what the ministers euphemistically refer to as "substandard circumstances" in the country.

However, it is entirely concerned with preventing people from escaping those "substandard circumstances" by trying to ensure that they can be improved to the most minimal level possible, or encouraging Greece to provide "individual assurances" (rather than systematic improvements) so that returns to Greece can resume.

The ministers refer to "an illegal infrastructure" that has been "established and used specifically to enable these secondary movements."

"We must work together to combat this," they say, and make three proposals for doing so.

Firstly, cash:

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Brevet från sex medlemsstater pdf

Statewatch 21-06-09: Greece rebuffs refugee travel abuse claims from northern Schengen states (Extern länk)

ECRE 21-06-11: While the Designation of Turkey as Safe Country and Pushbacks Undermine Protection in Greece, the Country is Criticised for not Preventing Secondary Movement (Extern länk)

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Arkiveringsdatum 210402:

EU-kommissionen 21-03-29:

Questions and Answers: Commission support for the situation on the Greek islands

What are the next steps in establishing the new reception facility on Lesvos?

With the funding agreement for the construction of the new centre, the Commission has provided clarity on the financing. The European Commission and the Ministry of Migration and Asylum will proceed with the finalisation and signature of the grant agreement, which includes the description of the plan, the estimated budget and the conditions linked to interim payments and the progress of the works.

In parallel, the Greek authorities are obtaining the necessary permits to allow for construction, as well as finalising the technical designs for the future centre so that the procurement process to contract the construction works can start quickly. In this design process, EASO technical experts are associated.

Is the Commission supporting new reception facilities on other Greek islands?

In December 2020, the Commission signed a grant agreement with the Greek authorities for the construction of 3 new reception centres on the Greek islands of Samos, Kos and Leros. These new facilities will include i) reception facilities, ii) safe zones for unaccompanied children and teenagers and other vulnerable people, iii) facilities for procedures after initial arrivals and required administrative areas, iv) facilities needed to guarantee access to services, v) common and recreational areas and vi) pre-removal centres. The EU funding amounts to ¤121 million.

In addition to the fresh award for the new facilities in Lesvos, the Commission has also awarded funding to build a new centre in Chios.

How did the EU respond to the emergency situation in Lesvos following the fires?

After the fire in the Moria camp in September 2020, the Commission provided immediate support to assist the Greek authorities to ensure that the 12,362 people left without shelter would be accommodated as a matter of priority.

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Arkiveringsdatum 210111:

EU-kommissionen 20-12-17:

2000 vulnerable asylum seekers and refugees relocated this year from Greece

Today, a milestone was reached in the voluntary relocation scheme from Greece as, despite the current pandemic, more than 2000 vulnerable asylum seekers and recognised refugees have been relocated this year as a tangible expression of European solidarity. The voluntary relocation scheme first focused on unaccompanied children, but was later broadened to include also other vulnerable asylum seekers, including children with medical conditions and families, as well as beneficiaries of international protection. The best interest of the child is the guiding principle to determine relocation as the most appropriate solution for the child and is an essential element in the scheme. A Best Interest Assessment is carefully conducted to assess the specific needs of the child. All children and families receive support and care prior to and during the transfer, including accommodation and care in temporary facilities, comprehensive pre-departure medical support, as well as targeted pre-departure information and orientation sessions in order to better prepare for their arrival in the country of relocation.

The EU-funded scheme is organised by the Greek Special Secretary for Unaccompanied Minors and the Greek Asylum Service in partnership with UN agencies (IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF), the European Commission and the European Asylum Support Office. A total of 2 050 persons have been relocated until today, including 553 unaccompanied migrant children, as well as children with medical conditions with family members, vulnerable asylum seekers and recognised refugees.

Sixteen States are part of the initiative: Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Slovenia and Switzerland.

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Arkiveringsdatum 201023:

UNHCR 20-09-30:

Over 1000 asylum seekers relocated from Greece so far this year through EU initiative

The Government of Greece, together with IOM, the International Organization for Migration, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNICEF, the UN Children's Fund today (30-09) welcomed the relocation of 139 asylum seekers to Germany, which has brought the total number of people relocated from Greece to other European Union (EU) Member States through a European Commission-funded programme this year to over 1,000.

This was the 16th relocation flight organized under the EU programme implemented by IOM, UNHCR and UNICEF in cooperation with the Government of Greece through the Special Secretary for the Protection of Unaccompanied Children, and in close collaboration with the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

This year, a total of 1,066 asylum seekers have been relocated from Greece to Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg and Portugal.

Among the group that arrived safely in Germany today were families with children with special health needs and 53 unaccompanied children, 37 of whom had been transferred to the Greek mainland after multiple fires completely destroyed the Moria reception and identification center three weeks ago.

"We feel grateful for the people that helped us in Greece and we'll never forget them. We don't speak German, but we'll try hard to learn the language. My brothers live in Germany and I'm excited that I'll see them again after such a long time," said Lina Hussein from Syria who travelled today with her husband, Osman, and her sons, Yousef and Mohammad.

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Arkiveringsdatum 200715:

UNHCR 20-07-08:

UN agencies welcome latest relocations of unaccompanied children from Greece

IOM, the International Organization for Migration, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNICEF, the UN Children's Fund today welcomed the latest relocations of 49 unaccompanied asylum-seeking and migrant children from Greece to Portugal and Finland.

Twenty-four unaccompanied asylum-seeking children left Greece and arrived safely in Finland this afternoon. On Tuesday, 25 unaccompanied children arrived safely in Portugal. All the children arrived in good health.

The 49 children had been living for several months in overcrowded reception and identification centers on the islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios and Kos.

For Mehrang*, 16, from Afghanistan, it is his first time getting on a plane. "I am really excited about it," he said before boarding the flight in Athens.

"I do not know much about Portugal, but I am making positive thoughts about my new beginning. I am looking forward to going there and joining the local school. I know that learning the language is important. After that, I hope to go to the university. I want to become a psychologist and communicate with other people. I have made this decision back in my country and I am sure I want to follow this road," he said.

The children were flown out of Greece as part of a relocation project supported and funded by the European Commission. It aims to relocate some 3,300 people, including 1,600 unaccompanied and separated children, and other vulnerable people, from Greece to other participating European states.

Portugal is planning to welcome a total of 500 unaccompanied children from Greece, while Finland has committed to relocating up to 175 unaccompanied children and other vulnerable asylum seekers from Greece, Malta and Cyprus.

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Arkiveringsdatum 200523:

Amnesty International Sverige 20-04-23:

Sverige måste visa solidaritet - öppet brev till Morgan Johansson

Amnesty har tillsammans med flera andra organisationer skickat ett brev till Sveriges migrationsminister Morgan Johansson om att Sverige måste visa solidaritet och ta emot ensamkommande barn från flyktinglägren på de grekiska öarna.

Sveriges regering har upprepade gånger uttalat sitt stöd för en solidarisk migrationspolitik. De måste nu ta sitt ansvar och ta emot ensamkommande barn från Grekland under de kommande veckorna, eller så snart som den akuta hanteringen av covid-19-pandemin tillåter. Det skriver Amnesty tillsammans med Human Rights Watch, Läkare utan gränser, Rädda barnen och Svenska Kyrkan i ett brev som skickats till Sveriges migrationsminister Morgan Johansson.

- I dag lever omkring 1 600 ensamkommande barn i flyktinglägren på de grekiska öarna i Grekland. Barnen lever under mycket svåra förhållanden där deras grundläggande rättigheter inte tillgodoses. Sverige måste också bidra till att barn i utsatthet får den framtid de förtjänar och att deras rättigheter respekteras, säger Anna Lindenfors, generalsekreterare Amnesty Sverige.

Grekland har tidigare uppmanat EU-länderna att ta ansvar och ta emot de ensamkommande barnen. Denna uppmaning har i och med spridningen av covid-19 upprepats på nytt. Den 12 mars presenterades ett initiativ av EU:s migrationskommissionär Ylva Johansson, med stöd av en grupp EU-länder, att snabbt flytta vidare minst 1 600 ensamkommande asylsökande barn från de grekiska öarna. Två EU-medlemsländer började förra veckan ta emot ensamkommande barn från Grekland.

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FRA 20-05-11:

Relocation of unaccompanied children: challenges and good practices

Since 2015, thousands of boys and girls arrived to the EU without their parents. Almost 1,400 of these unaccompanied children have already been relocated from France, Greece, Italy and Malta to other EU Member States through relocation schemes. As a number of EU Member States have recently started relocating some children from Greece again, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) publishes a report highlighting the challenges and good practices of past relocation programmes. This report will help national authorities to take measures that fully comply with the rights of children and are practically feasible at the same time.

FRA's report "Relocation of unaccompanied children: applying good practices to future schemes" highlights the challenges and good practices gathered in the implementation of different mandatory and voluntary relocation programmes since 2015.

The report focuses on key steps of the relocation procedure from the moment a child is identified for relocation to the child's integration in the Member State of destination.

Based on FRA's desk research and over 45 interviews with 72 representatives from national authorities, European institutions, international organisations and civil society organisations, the Agency calls on the EU and its Member States to consider the following four measures:

+ putting in place reasonable timelines for relocation of unaccompanied children that allow for the effective protection of the child;

+ using eligibility criteria based on the child's vulnerability and protection needs;

+ ensuring the child is supported by a legal guardian during all steps in the relocation;

+ maintaining family unity and facilitating family reunion if this is in the best interests of the child.

Background information:

FRA conducted the interviews between November 2019 and March 2020 in 10 EU Member States: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands and Portugal.

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EASO 20-05-13: EASO facilitating relocation of Unaccompanied Minors from Greece (Extern länk)

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Arkiveringsdatum 200410:

Rädda Barnen 20-03-27:

Regeringen måste omgående ta emot barnen

Rädda Barnen om ett eventuellt virusutbrott i grekiska flyktingläger

Det finns nu en stor risk att den redan mycket allvarliga situationen för barnen i de grekiska lägren förvärras på grund av Covid-19. Rädda Barnen uppmanar därför Sveriges regering att ansluta sig till de länder som nu söker en lösning för att ta emot ensamkommande barn och familjer. En lösning måste ske omgående innan viruset sprids.

Omkring 40 900 asylsökande lever på de grekiska öarna. Av dem är 34 % barn, och hälften av dem är under 12 år gamla. Lägren är just nu i lock down, och i takt med att fler anländer är osäkerheten stor kring hur en eventuell ökning av människornas behov kommer tillgodoses.

Rädda Barnens generalsekreterare Helena Thybell kommenterar:

"Situationen på de grekiska öarna är fullkomligt ohållbar, med stora hälso- och säkerhetsrisker som särskilt påverkar barn. Det finns i princip ingen tillgång till vatten eller hälso- och sjukvård i lägren. På Lesbos finns bara ett sjukhus med ett fåtal sängar tillgängliga. Social distansering är omöjligt när tusentals människor lever tätt inpå varandra."

Endast en global respons kommer att kunna stoppa virusets spridning och de stora påfrestningar som Covid-19 innebär för Europas länder. Akuta insatser för att skydda barn och familjer bör vidtas, på ett sätt som tar hänsyn till hälsorisker kopplade till Covid-19.

Vi välkomnar att flera EU-länder nu visat tecken på att vilja ta emot barn från Grekland. I brev till Morgan Johansson och Mikael Damberg har Rädda Barnen tryckt på för att även Sverige ska delta i omfördelningen av både ensamkommande barn och barnfamiljer.

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Arkiveringsdatum 200324:

FRA 20-03-17:

Relocating unaccompanied children from Greece: what works and what does not

Thousands of unaccompanied children in Greece are living in conditions that are completely unsuitable - without adequate housing, exposed to the cold weather, facing insecurity and even violence. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) welcomes the initiative of the European Commission and some Member States to relocate these unaccompanied children.

FRA provides practical suggestions to the EU and its Member States on the relocation process. At the same time, FRA urges Member States to agree on a simple and practical workflow as soon as possible to avoid lack of clarity and delays in the relocation process.

FRA's practical suggestions to relocate unaccompanied children from Greece builds on lessons learned from previous mandatory and voluntary relocation schemes.

The suggestions concern all stages of the relocation process:

+ Identifying children for relocation

+ Appointing a guardian

+ Assessing the child's best interests and providing information

+ Preparing the departure and transfer

+ Funding relocation of unaccompanied children

The practical suggestions are based on desk research and almost 50 interviews with national authorities and civil society organisations.

FRA conducted the interviews between November 2019 and March 2020 in 10 EU Member States: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands and Portugal.

In May 2020, the agency will publish a full report on the relocation of unaccompanied children.

It will explore the challenges and good practices gathered in the implementation of different relocation programmes since 2015.

The report will support national authorities to take measures, which fully comply with children's fundamental rights and are practically feasible.

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Arkiveringsdatum 200306:

Human Rights Watch mfl 20-03-04:

NGOs' urgent call to action: emergency relocation of unaccompanied children

We, the undersigned organizations, jointly call on the governments of European Union (EU) Member States to immediately commit to the emergency relocation of unaccompanied children from the Greek islands to other European countries, giving precedence to existing family links and the best interests of the child. Action is all the more urgent in light of the escalating violence on Lesbos[i] and as increased arrivals to the islands could lead to further deterioration of the dangerous conditions in the camps.[ii]

Over 1,800 unaccompanied children live in the EU hotspots - Reception and Identification Centers - on the Greek islands.[iii] Children are deprived of access to their most basic rights such as shelter, water, food, medical and psychosocial care, as well as education.[iv] If each EU Member State relocated just 70 unaccompanied children, these children would no longer be homeless and living in inhumane conditions on the Greek islands.

In October 2019, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis sent a letter to all other European Union governments asking them to share responsibility by voluntarily relocating 2,500 unaccompanied children from Greece. On November 6, 2019, he informed the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs that only one country responded.

However, several EU Member States have proven that where there's a will, there's a way. France recently committed to accepting 400 asylum seekers.[v] Mayors in Germany have expressed their willingness to relocate individuals from the islands,[vi] along with Finland[vii] and Ireland, while Serbia and Greece have recently initiated discussion on the transfer for 100 unaccompanied children,[viii] providing a basis for further solidarity.

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Arkiveringsdatum 191120:

ECRE 19-11-08:

The Future of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund

Our call for more humane, transparent and effective resources for asylum and migration in the Union

Last October, the EU institutions have resumed discussions on the new Asylum and Migration Fund (AMF) proposal, part of the wider negotiations on the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF 2021-2027) of the EU. Together with a number of other NGOs, UNHCR and IOM, ECRE has issued a statement calling for a better use of EU resources in asylum and migration policies.

Despite a substantial increase in funding proposed by the European Commission, the future of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund remains unclear, given that member states have only reached a partial agreement on the regulation, which does not address specific budgeting to the different priorities of the fund.

Furthermore, delays and implementation gaps for EU-funded programmes in 2021 are very likely. In fact, a considerable amount of AMIF is managed between the Commission and EU member states and requires the general agreement to be translated into national programmes, which risks to provoke serious delays in the allocation of the funds. This would undermine the provision of services especially in those member states which highly rely on AMIF for financing their asylum and migration policies, unless adequate investments are not deployed from national budgets.

To mitigate these risks and ensure that member states' national programmes will deploy more effective resources for more humane asylum and migration policies in Europe, ECRE and the co-signatories have asked the co-legislators to:

(I) Address, within the use of the fund, the groups which are most vulnerable to violence, exploitation and abuse such as human trafficking victims, regardless of their residence status; Fund, through AMIF, the establishment of case-management based alternatives to detention as well as psychosocial and mental health support for migrants and refugees;

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ECRE 19-11-08:

Advocate General: Refusal to relocate asylum seekers "Breached EU Law"

In the Opinion issued by Eleanor Sharpston, Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (the Court), Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have failed to fulfil their obligation under EU law by refusing to implement the mandatory Relocation Decisions from 2015. The Opinion is not binding but provides a proposition to the Court and is regarded as an influential advice.

In order to respond with solidarity to the increase in arrival of migrants and refugees in the summer of 2015, the Council of the EU adopted two decisions to relocate a total of 160 000 asylum seekers from Greece and Italy to other Member States within two years. Despite the unsuccessful legal challenge by Slovakia and Hungary in front of the Court, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic did not implement the decisions. In December 2017, the European Commission brought actions for failure to fulfil legal obligations before the Court against Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

In her Opinion, Eeanor Sharpston firstly rejects the argument of the three countries that complying with the Relocation Decisions would invoke security concerns as Member States preserve the right to refuse individual relocation cases when an applicant is deemed a threat. She highlights that a spirit of trust and cooperation must prevail.

Secondly, the argument by the three countries that the risks inherent in processing large numbers of asylum seekers absolves them from their legal obligation should be rejected. The Relocation Decisions include a mechanism addressing complex issues and logistics, which can lead to a temporary suspension of the legal obligation to implement the Decisions. This means that the unilateral decision to not comply at all to the implementation was not necessary.

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FARR 19-10-11:

Till våra regeringar: Gå med i koalitionen av villiga!

Organisationer i gemensam vädjan:

Nordiskt och baltiskt deltagande behövs i europeiska överenskommelser för landstigning och omfördelningsmekanismer

26 frivilligorganisationer i de nordiska och baltiska länderna, däribland FARR, har i veckan gått ut med ett öppet brev där våra regeringar uppmanas att engagera sig i den föreslagna överenskommelsen om landstigning, och omfördelning av människor på flykt.

Hela brevet:

Berättelser om och bilder på människor strandsatta på båtar på Medelhavet har sedan länge dominerat media. Människor är fast på båtar i flera veckor utan tillräcklig tillgång till vatten, mat och vård, och riskerar slutligen att nekas tillgång till en asylprocess.

Den nuvarande ad-hoc inställningen, att förhandla "båt för båt" om landstigning, fungerar inte. Det finns ett brådskande behov av att säkerställa säkra räddningsinsatser och skyndsamma och adekvata landstigningar för människor som är fast på öppet hav.

En omförhandling av Dublinförordningen för att etablera en permanent mekanism för omfördelning vore att föredra. Denna mekanism måste säkerställa ett jämnt ansvarstagande mellan de europeiska staterna och förhindra situationer så som den nuvarande humanitära krisen på de Egeiska öarna i Grekland.

Eftersom det hittills har visat sig vara svårt att nå en sådan överenskommelse är de europeiska länderna tvungna att hitta konstruktiva alternativ som respekterar tryggheten och värdigheten för människor som räddats på öppet hav.

Den nyligen grundade "coalition of the willing" och Maltadeklarationen är positiva och betydelsefulla försök till framsteg. Tyskland, Italien, Frankrike och Malta har anslutit sig till deklarationen som antogs den 23 september 2019.Ytterligare europeiska stater har i början av oktober 2019 ställt sig bakom den.

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FARR 19-10-14: To our governments: Join the coalition of the willing (Extern länk)

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Arkiveringsdatum 191017:

Human Rights Watch 19-10-03:

EU governments face crucial decision on shared sea rescue responsibility

European Union governments should improve on and then sign up to a plan to ensure timely disembarkation and relocation of people rescued in the Mediterranean Sea, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today, on the sixth anniversary of the Lampedusa shipwreck, in which at least 368 people died. EU interior ministers gathering in Luxembourg on October 8, 2019, are expected to discuss a joint declaration agreed upon by Germany, France, Italy, and Malta on September 23 in Valletta.

The 'Joint declaration of intent on a controlled emergency procedure - voluntary commitments by member states for a predictable temporary solidarity mechanism' commits participating states to creating a predictable and efficient system to ensure "dignified disembarkation" in places of safety. Building on this good start, EU ministers need to now agree on the details of a plan to ensure certainty around disembarkation and a fair relocation system. Since June 2018, numerous boats have been left stranded at sea for weeks after rescuing refugees and migrants, until ad hoc agreements were reached.

"If we are to avoid yet another obscene standoff at sea, relevant EU coastal states must make clear plans to allow ships to dock in their ports, while other EU states should commit to take their fair share of responsibility for people disembarked," said Matteo de Bellis, Migration researcher at Amnesty International. "A strong agreement will help save lives and demonstrate that EU countries are committed to working together to uphold basic values and international obligations."

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Palermo Charter Platform 19-10-09:

Joint press release of the Palermo Charter Platform Process

on the results of the EU Summit of Home Affairs Ministers on 23 September in Malta and the consequent negotiations on 8 October in Luxembourg

The Malta Agreement ("agreement on temporary reception and distribution mechanism") is not a hard-won solution, but nothing more than a partial emergency relief. We, European civil society initiatives and networks, mayors of European cities and search and rescue non-governmental organizations, demand a real solution that is adequate to the scale of the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea.

Over 15.000 people have died in the Mediterranean Sea in the last five years. "Every single person is one too many,'' says Alessandra Sciurba from Mediterranea. "When we receive distress calls from people on boats, they fear both to drown and to be returned to Libya. The outsourcing of EU border control to Libyan forces and mass interceptions at sea have to stop," demands Maurice Stierl from WatchTheMed Alarm Phone. " The establishment of an operational and sustainable European rescue mission is absolutely necessary in order to prevent deaths in the Mediterranean Sea. Sadly, it is still missing in the Malta agreement", adds Sciurba.

The deal signed in Malta is disingenuous, as it ignores the fact that many civil rescue ships are either blocked or confiscated by state authorities. Additionally, it does not address the situation into which merchant ships are forced. " Future relocation mechanisms must take them into account in order to prevent further cases of non-assistance and illegal push backs to Libya. Who is going to be responsible for setting up a rescue mission that corresponds to the scope of the crisis? Frankly, the proposed measures fall short of our mildest expectations." admits Oliver Kulikowski from Sea-Watch.

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ECRE 19-10-11:

Launch of Initiative on Eastern Mediterranean Route as further Displacements Looms

On Tuesday, Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria announced the launch of the Eastern Mediterranean Migration Route Initiative (EMMI). They called upon the EU to make further resources available to countries along the route and to implement a relocation mechanism. The joint initiative comes amid concern over Turkish operations in Northern Syria sparking an increase of arrivals over the Eastern Mediterranean.

Interior ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria presented a document with their "Joint Position and Recommendations on Migration Pressures in the Eastern Mediterranean" to the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council held in Luxembourg. While the discussion of EU interior ministers were focusing on a relocation and disembarkation arrangement for the Central Mediterranean, the new joint initiative calls for an effective mechanism for relocation from the Eastern Mediterranean, the establishment of a functioning common European return mechanism and the provision of adequate support and allocation of resources to affected countries.

The initiators underlined that the Eastern Mediterranean, due to geopolitical factors in the Middle East, receives the overwhelming majority of arrivals of refugees. In the course of the council meeting, ministers and EU officials expressed concerns that Turkey's impending operations in northeast Syria might cause more people to flee Syria and push some of the four million refugees hosted in Turkey to move on to the EU.

Although current levels of arrivals only represent a fraction of numbers in 2015, humanitarian conditions in receptions centers on Greek islands continue to be critical. Last weekend, Greek authorities transferred around 570 "vulnerable" people, including families, single women with children and unaccompanied children, from the refugee camp Moria on the island of Lesvos to the mainland to cope with overcrowding.

From January until September 2019, at least 24,052 migrants and refugees arrived to Spain, 9,508 to Italy and Malta and 48,518 to Greece according to data from the UN Refugees Agency, UNHCR.

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Arkiveringsdatum 191002:

Statewatch News 19-09-27:

The "temporary solidarity mechanism" on relocation - what does it say?

Germany, France, Italy and Malta have drafted a declaration (pdf) establishing a "predictable and efficient temporary solidarity mechanism" aimed at ensuring the "dignified disembarkation" of people rescued at sea in the Mediterranean. If those rescued are eligible for international protection they will be relocated to a participating EU member state within four weeks, while ineligible persons will be subject to "effective and quick return."

The mechanism set out in the declaration is designed to address "the need to protect human life and provide assistance to any person in distress," whilst preventing the emergence of any new irregular maritime routes into the EU. All signatories will be obliged to call on other EU and Schengen Member States to participate. Offers - or refusals - to do so are expected to come at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 8 October.

The mechanism

Signatories to the declaration will have to ensure that persons rescued on the high seas are disembarked "in a place of safety". Member states may also "offer an alternative place of safety on a voluntary basis". Where rescue is carried out by a state-owned vessel, disembarkation will take place in the territory of the flag State.

Following disembarkation, participating states should provide "swift relocation, which should not take longer than 4 weeks", a process which will be coordinated by the European Commission - as has been the case with recent voluntary relocations following rescue at sea.

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Europarådet 19-10-03: PACE to Europe's governments: 'It is your duty not to let people drown in the Mediterranean' (Extern länk)

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Arkiveringsdatum 190826:

Statewatch 19-08-03:

Italy-Malta "Non Paper" wants compulsory relocation mechanism

The Italian and Maltese Non-Paper is presented as being in opposition to the solidarity mechanism and plan to organise orderly relocations and disembarkation in compliance with the law of the sea and the principle of the nearest safe harbour or place of safety.

This cannot be Libya. Its main points of departure from the mechanism discussed in Paris and agreed by 14 member states at the subsequent JHA Council meeting are calls for the systematic criminalisation of citizen-funded civilian SAR missions, exclusion of departures from Libya from the ordinary application of the law of the sea, and a move away from rules requiring disembarkation in Italy or Malta of people who left Libya, in compliance with rules requiring states to assist rather than obstruct sea rescues.

The plans for relocation and a redistribution mechanism, for disembarkation platforms and controlled centres in third countries in this non-paper are under discussion at the EU level, but the Italian interior minister refuses to engage, preferring to hold survivors and rescue crews hostage on boats and rescue vessels to pressure fellow member states to agree to their transfer outside of Italy before allowing survivors to disembark.

Understandably, both countries would prefer a compulsory relocation mechanism rather than the voluntary one which has been agreed involving a "coalition of the willing" due to some member states' opposition.

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UNHCR 19-08-06:

UNHCR concerned at new measures impacting rescue at sea

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is concerned about last night's decision by the Italian Parliament to convert into law a security decree that imposes more severe penalties on boats and people conducting search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean.

Under changes approved by Parliament, fines for private vessels that undertake rescue of persons and do not respect the ban on entry into territorial waters have risen to a maximum of ¤1 million. In addition, vessels will now be automatically impounded.

UNHCR reiterates its concern that imposing financial or other penalties on shipmasters could deter or impede sea rescue activities by private vessels at a time when European states have largely withdrawn from rescue efforts in the Central Mediterranean. NGOs play an invaluable role in saving the lives of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous sea crossing to Europe. The commitment and humanity that motivates their activities should not be criminalised or stigmatised.

Likewise, NGO and commercial vessels must not be requested to transfer rescued people to the Libyan Coast Guard, or directed to disembark them in Libya. The extremely volatile security situation, ongoing conflict, widespread reports of human rights violations and routine use of arbitrary detention for people disembarked back to Libya underline the fact that it is not a viable place of safety.

UNHCR calls on States to build on recent discussions in Paris to establish a temporary, predictable arrangement for disembarking people after they have been rescued at sea, characterised by shared responsibility amongst States for hosting and responding to specific needs. These talks were encouraging and should progress further in the interests of all.

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Arkiveringsdatum 190801:

UNHCR 19-07-22:

UNHCR and IOM welcome consensus on need for action on Libya, Mediterranean

Today's discussions in Paris with European States on addressing the situation on the Mediterranean Sea, and preventing loss of life in Libya, are welcome and much-needed. The violence in Tripoli in recent weeks has made the situation more desperate than ever, and the need for action critical.

We welcome the consensus at today's meeting on a need to end the arbitrary detention of refugees and migrants in Libya. There needs to be a process of orderly release of people in detention centres either to urban areas, or to open centres that allow reasonable freedom of movement, shelter, assistance and protection from harm, plus independent monitoring and regular unhindered access for humanitarian agencies. In light of the risks of abuse, maltreatment or death, no one should be returned to detention centres in Libya after being intercepted or rescued at sea.

The renewed commitment today from States to preventing loss of life on the Mediterranean Sea is also encouraging. The status quo, where search and rescue operations are often left to NGO or commercial vessels, cannot continue. An EU State search and rescue operation, similar to programmes we have seen in recent years, is needed.

The crucial role played by NGOs must be acknowledged. They should not be criminalised nor stigmatised for saving lives at sea. Commercial vessels, who are increasingly being relied upon to conduct rescue operations, must not be requested to transfer rescued people to the Libyan Coast Guard, nor directed to disembark them in Libya, which is not a port of safety.

Discussions on establishing a temporary, predictable arrangement for disembarking people after they have been rescued at sea, and sharing responsibility amongst States for hosting them afterwards, were promising. We encourage these talks to progress further. A joined-up approach to this situation is in everyone's interests.

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Arkiveringsdatum 190620:

Statewatch 19-06-12:

Working paper on Guidelines on temporary arrangements for disembarkation

The Council of the European Union has produced a new "Working Paper" on: Guidelines on temporary arrangements for disembarkation (LIMITE doc no: WK 7219-19):

"The Guidelines are based on best practices used in previous disembarkation cases, and rely on a coordinating role of the Commission and support by relevant agencies. The framework is of a temporary nature and the participation of the Member States is on a voluntary basis. This document has a non-binding nature." [emphasis added]

The circumstances for "triggering" Temporary Arrangements (TA) are:

"type of arrivals covered

- a search and rescue operation; and/or

- other sea arrivals where there is a humanitarian ground at stake."

On the face of it the idea would appear to refer to just about every rescue. However the idea relies on the state of first disembarkation - for example, in the Med: Spain, France, Italy and Greece - allowing a safe port of arrival. These states then make a "relocation" request to other Member States. This is entirely based on voluntary participation.

"Workflow in the Member State of disembarkation

The following procedural steps should be undertaken in the Member State of disembarkation, where appropriate with the assistance from EU agencies, and where relevant with the involvement of the Member State of relocation, in agreement with the benefitting Member State:

(...) Initial identification, registration, fingerprinting and swift security screening: Registration and fingerprinting of all arriving migrants as category 2 in Eurodac system; check against national and EU information systems (such as Eurodac, SIS, VIS, Europol and Interpol databases) to ensure that none of the persons arriving to the EU is a threat to public policy, internal security or public health.

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Arbetsdokumentet, läckt via Statewatch (Extern länk)

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Arkiveringsdatum 190610:

Rådet 19-06-07:

Finansiering för migrations-, gräns- och säkerhetspolitiken: rådet enas om ståndpunkt

EU utökar tillämpningsområdet för sitt stöd för åtgärder på områdena migration, gränsförvaltning och säkerhet för att hjälpa till att ta itu med växande utmaningar. Rådet nådde i dag partiella allmänna riktlinjer om tre sektorsspecifika förslag inom inrikes frågor mot bakgrund av den fleråriga budgetramen för perioden 2021-2027. Budgetrelaterade och övergripande frågor som för närvarande diskuteras i förhandlingarna om EU:s nästa fleråriga budgetram liksom frågor med tydlig koppling till reformpaketet för det gemensamma europeiska asylsystemet omfattas inte av avtalens tillämpningsområde.

De sektorsspecifika förslagen inom inrikes frågor:

asyl- och migrationsfonden, som fungerar som stöd för medlemsländernas hantering av asyl och migration. Den partiella allmänna riktlinjen ger EU de verktyg som behövs för att svara på de föränderliga migrationsutmaningarna, både inom EU och i samarbete med andra länder.

instrumentet för ekonomiskt stöd för gränsförvaltning och visering, som säkerställer en stark och effektiv integrerad gränsförvaltning vid EU:s yttre gränser. Den partiella allmänna riktlinjen speglar den senaste tidens utveckling, t.ex. den planerade utvidgningen av den europeiska gräns- och kustbevakningen, moderniseringen av den gemensamma viseringspolitiken samt utvecklingen och interoperabiliteten mellan stora it-system (bl.a. EU-systemet för reseuppgifter och resetillstånd samt in- och utresesystemet)

Fonden för inre säkerhet, som stöder förebyggande och samordning mellan polis, rättsliga myndigheter och andra behöriga myndigheter för att skydda medborgarna. Den partiella allmänna riktlinjen bygger på den befintliga fonden, som genom riktlinjen anpassas till ny utveckling såsom behovet av att trappa upp kampen mot terrorism, grov och organiserad brottslighet samt it-brottslighet

(...)

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ECRE 19-05-24:

Ecre policy note on outspending on migration

ECRE published a Policy Note which focuses on issues related to asylum and migration in the ongoing negotiations for the EU's next long-term budget: how much money will be provided for migration-related objectives? For what specifically? To be spent where? And under whose competence?

As part of the negotiations for the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF), Member States are divided over the way in which migration should feature in the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), to what extent Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) funds should cover migration related spending outside the EU and what coordination between internal and external funding for migration should exist. The Policy Note seeks to inform discussions by providing a perspective on what would constitute the most effective and rights based approach to funding asylum and migration outside the EU.

It argues that it is the immense need resulting from forced displacement, with least developed countries hosting one third of the world's asylum seekers and 85% of the world's refugees living in the developing world which should be the priority of migration related EU development assistance. If Member States make a more specific reference to migration management, this should be based on the Global Compact for Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration (GCM) and the Sustainable Development Goals, more particularly SDG 10.7 which is to "facilitate orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies". The suggested 10% earmarking for migration will already lead to the allocation of a significant amount of the EU's development budget to issues related to displacement and migration. It should therefore be an indicative maximum earmark.

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Källor: Informationen på denna sida är hämtad från följande källor (externa länkar): EU (kommissionen, ministerrådet, parlamentet och domstolen), Europarådet (mr-kommissionären, domstolen, kommittén mot tortyr), FN:s flyktingkommissariat UNHCR, FN:s kommitté mot tortyr m.fl. FN-organ, Sveriges Radio, SvT, andra svenska media via Nyhetsfilter och pressmeddelanden via Newsdesk, utländska media till exempel via Are You Syrious och Rights in Exile, internationella organisationer som Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, ECRE, Statewatch och Picum, organisationer i Sverige som Rädda Barnen, Asylrättscentrum, Svenska Amnesty, FARR och #vistårinteut samt myndigheter och politiska organ som Migrationsverket, Sveriges domstolar, JO, Justitiedepartementet m.fl. departement och Sveriges Riksdag.

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