Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-14-Speech-2-308"
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"en.20041214.16.2-308"2
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".
Mr President, over these past few years, thousands of people – men, women and children – have passed through my home town of Calais, or through the notorious Sangatte camp, having been persuaded that they will find their El Dorado in the United Kingdom: Kosovars, Afghans, Iraqis, Sudanese, Kurds – people in search of freedom and security, simple citizens of the world, driven by misery to take to the road, wishing only, like every one of us, for a bit of happiness. Allow me to assure them of our solidarity.
While I endorse most of the content of the Lambert report, I am duty-bound to state to this House the objective fact that, while improving, simplifying and standardising application procedures for asylum seekers is a definite step forward, as long as we spare ourselves the trouble of conducting a real comprehensive debate on the type of immigration Europe needs and on the economic development policy it must pursue towards poor countries, we shall achieve nothing, and this forum of ours will be the scene of regular debates on the plight of these latter-day nomads.
Europeans must know that there is a better standard of living here than in Africa and, in particular, that it is possible for people to work here illegally if they are prepared to earn less and keep quiet. In Europe, there are those who attract, exploit and get rich by engaging in this slave trade.
Yes, we need to restore the honour of Europe, which is all too often sullied, just as we must urge the Union to stop burying its head in the sand on the pretext that talking about immigration fuels nationalist sentiments. Europe, however, must not be the sole focus of our attention in this respect. The IMF, whose recommendations are often responsible for mass emigrations, the United Nations and the office of its High Commissioner for Refugees also have a part to play.
Yes, the European Union should have an asylum policy that accords with the principles of the European Human Rights Convention. Yes, the European Union should examine the emigration issue in depth. Yes, the European Union should remember that some of the children within its own territory are stricken by hunger too."@en1
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