Tomorrow, EU migration ministers will meet at an emergency meeting to discuss the latest plan from the European Commission to reduce the number of persons entering Europe.
Ahead of the meeting, Stephanie Pope, Oxfam EU migration expert warns that:
“This plan is just another reshuffle of old ideas that do not work. It merely distracts from what actually needs to be done - fixing the EU’s broken asylum system. It is a waste of time.
“The EU’s response to those fleeing Ukraine shows that where there is political will, there is a way. Instead, the EU continues to throw money at non-EU countries to try to get them to play a role in building fortress Europe. These efforts would be far better spent on investing in proper housing for asylum seekers, creating a functioning asylum system and making migration rules that share the responsibility of welcoming people in Europe.
“It’s time for real action, not old words packaged in ‘new’ plans.”
Notes to editors
Stephanie Pope is available for comment and interview.
EU migration ministers discussed a new plan from the European Commission presented on Monday. The plan aims to reduce the number of people entering Europe. This follows the latest standoff in European countries refusing to allow search and rescue boats to disembark at their ports.
Oxfam is calling for the EU and European countries to work together to create an asylum system that works. In particular, we focus on the EU to:
- Make migration rules that fairly share the responsibility of welcoming people across Europe. We have seen in Greece how Europe’s failure to create a responsibility-sharing system has caused thousands of people to suffer. Families live in legal limbo and are trapped in slum-like camps or EU-funded prison-like detention centres.
- Stop striking up dubious migration deals with non-EU countries to outsource the EU’s responsibility to people seeking safety.
Contact information
Jade Tenwick | Brussels, Belgium | jade.tenwick@oxfam.org | mobile +32 473 562260
Julia Manresa | Brussels, Belgium | julia.manresa@oxfam.org | mobile +32 473 87 44 26
Stephanie Pope is available for comment and interview.
EU migration ministers discussed a new plan from the European Commission presented on Monday. The plan aims to reduce the number of people entering Europe. This follows the latest standoff in European countries refusing to allow search and rescue boats to disembark at their ports.
Oxfam is calling for the EU and European countries to work together to create an asylum system that works. In particular, we focus on the EU to:
- Make migration rules that fairly share the responsibility of welcoming people across Europe. We have seen in Greece how Europe’s failure to create a responsibility-sharing system has caused thousands of people to suffer. Families live in legal limbo and are trapped in slum-like camps or EU-funded prison-like detention centres.
- Stop striking up dubious migration deals with non-EU countries to outsource the EU’s responsibility to people seeking safety.
Jade Tenwick | Brussels, Belgium | jade.tenwick@oxfam.org | mobile +32 473 562260
Julia Manresa | Brussels, Belgium | julia.manresa@oxfam.org | mobile +32 473 87 44 26
