Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-04-19-Speech-4-574-000"
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"en.20120419.23.4-574-000"2
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"Madam President, I would like to thank Parliament for the opportunity once again to discuss this very important issue concerning migration management shortcomings in Greece, which is linked with the ongoing discussions on the Common European Asylum System and also concerns the fundamental rights of individuals.
Recent court rulings again prove that the EU needs a solid and efficient Common European Asylum System to support the Member States and guarantee a fair and effective system of providing international protection to people in need. This is a common goal for the European Union and has been so for quite some time. The need for common rules and greater solidarity is now even more pressing. We need high standards and stronger cooperation to make sure asylum seekers are treated equally wherever they apply and that people in need of protection can have access to this protection. With a fair system throughout the European Union it is possible for all Member States to share the responsibility for this.
As part of this effort, the Dublin system needs to be complemented with provisions addressing the root causes of crises and ensuring that deficiencies in one system or another in Member States are remedied without delay so that they do not affect the entire system and lead to human rights violations.
The Commission is, and continues to be, involved. I appreciate the support from Parliament and the strong engagement by the Council and many other organisations, but of course the main responsibility lies with the Greek authorities.
The Commission has been continuously supporting Greece’s efforts to reform its asylum and migration policies. As was mentioned by the Minister, Greece developed an Action Plan on Migration Management and Asylum Reform, and progress has been achieved in a number of areas there. Two new services have been established – one for the examination of applications and one for initial reception. These are important steps.
Last year the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) deployed asylum support teams in Greece. These teams provide advice on reception conditions in the Evros area, which is the one that is the most problematic. These activities will continue this year and will be further intensified. We have also conducted technical missions in Greece, including the Task Force for Greece, where the UNHCR, the IOM, Frontex and the EASO are all involved, in order to ensure a holistic approach. We continue to make great efforts to promote stronger engagement by the Turkish authorities in preventing the irregular migratory flows from transiting through Turkish territory towards the EU’s borders.
So there has been progress, but much more needs to be done. The humanitarian situation in Evros is not acceptable. The conditions in which migrant and asylum seekers are kept are particularly worrying. Progress needs to be immediate and sustainable. More efforts are needed from the Greek authorities in this respect. Greece should trigger emergency mechanisms to provide immediate humanitarian relief to the migrants crossing the border area. They can use EU funding to do this and to renovate existing facilities and temporarily increase capacity by renting hostels for vulnerable groups, as well as deploying habitable containers within the security perimeters in the region.
The Commission has on many occasions reminded the Greek authorities that failing to take urgent measures could lead to significant legal consequences, but of course, on a daily basis, there are also very serious humanitarian consequences. We are there to help, as are the Member States’ numerous organisations and institutions, but Greece itself has the responsibility to act in accordance with international and Union law.
The Commission will continue to provide strategic and targeted support for Greece’s efforts to reform its system. This involves the provision of additional financial assistance and emergency support but also expertise on the ground, in close collaboration with the national authorities, the agencies, the UNHCR and the IOM.
Greece is among the main beneficiaries of the Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows Programme, with a total amount of EUR 309 million allocated so far. However, there is a problem of absorption from the Greek side, so very little of this money has been used so far. For immediate needs, we recently granted an additional amount of EUR 3.75 million under the European Refugee Fund to implement emergency measures, and we are concerned about the possibilities for using that money as well.
It is crucial to streamline the delivery mechanism at national level, removing constraints and reinforcing management of the funds. Support will also be provided by the EU Task Force on Greece established by the Commission to assist and maximise the absorption of EU financial assistance and the implementation of the reform package. A dedicated expert was deployed to Athens in December 2011 to advise the Greek authorities directly involved in the implementation of these funds.
I would also like to recall the Commission’s recast proposal for the Dublin Regulation which, like the rest of the asylum package, aims to increase the efficiency of the system and to improve protection of the applicants. We are very grateful to Parliament for its strong support for the Commission’s proposal and to the Presidency for ensuring that they are now ready to enter into a trilogue on these issues and other related issues in the asylum package."@en1
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