The sad journey of the refugee agreement in Europe
Pouring Over a Persisting Problem: Europe Faces a Tangled Web in its Migrant Crisis
The coastline of Italy was tragically marked by an awful calamity a week past, on 3rd October, when over 300 migrants met their deaths as their overloaded vessel capsized. Despite such harrowing incidents in the Mediterranean, European nations are still grappling withhow to handle the ongoing migrant crisis. Five years have passed since EU states even drafted a proposal, while it took the EU itself almost that long to ink an agreement with Turkey in 2015.
The EU and its member-states have tried to tackle the constant influx of migrants to the continent's shores, primarily Greece and Italy. In 2015, European Interior Ministers proposed a plan to redistribute these migrants, including economic migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, across the 28 EU member-states.
The European Commission came up with a mandatory plan to distribute approximately 160,000 migrants presently in Italy and Greece to other European countries. However, this proposed solution has only widened the gulf between Eastern and Western European countries, creating a rift. Germany has pleaded with other nations to show solidarity and support the overburdened front-line states of Greece and Italy.
Bearing in mind the pitfalls from 2015, the German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer forecast a potential upsurge of migrants and urged European nations to adopt an EU quota system for the migrants rescued near Europe's coastlines.
Frustrated Progress: The EU-Turkey Refugee Agreement
Following the massive migrant influx in the summer of 2015, the EU and Turkey struck a deal. In exchange for every Syrian migrant fleeing the turmoil in their homeland being returned to Turkey from Greece's islands, the EU pledged to grant Schengen visa liberalization to Turkish citizens and provide €6 billion to enhance the living conditions of Syrian refugees in Turkey.
However, neither of these promises has materialized, with less than half of the promised financial aid being paid to Turkey up until now. Five long years have passed by, and the East-West rift within the EU remains formidable.
In recent months, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised the issue of a new wave of refugees, stating that there are 3.65 million Syrian refugees taking refuge in Turkey. Erdogan echoed a plea for international aid to help Turkey tackle this influx. The ongoing internal disagreements and the rift between EU member-states have contributed to an extended delay in resolving this migrant saga.
Last week, high-level EU and Turkish officials met in Ankara to discuss the refugee crisis and preserve the agreement. Though no substantial announcements have transpired, the emergence of an increased influx in the Greek islands within the following months could potentially jeopardize the situation. Turkey and the EU must strike a new accord to overcome this predicament.
The contentious issue of multiculturalism in Europe has also fueled discord across the continent. Politicians in some European countries have actively stirred ethnic tensions through their public statements. For example, Hungary's Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, said, "We don't see these people as Muslim refugees; we see them as Muslim invaders." Such rhetoric has caused apprehension not only among Muslims but also among non-Muslims in Europe. Hate rhetoric often stems from ignorance and can easily escalate into willful bigotry. European society should remain vigilant about the influence and agenda of such leaders.
European nations must focus on the positive aspects of the migrants who arrive on their shores. Many of these newcomers are not impoverished, uneducated individuals. Yesterday, they were doctors, teachers, writers, and other professionals in their own countries. European society should seize this opportunity to find a mutually beneficial solution to this ongoing saga.
Enrichment Data:
Overall: The EU migrant crisis remains a challenging and evolving issue, marked by cooperation and disagreements among member states. The current snapshot of the EU-wide distribution plan and the East-West rift reveals the following:
EU-Wide Distribution Plan
On-going Developments
- Migration Pact: The European Union is working to execute provisions of its Migration Pact, which includes plans to expedite asylum procedures for nationals from countries with low asylum recognition rates.
- Safe Countries of Origin: The EU is considering establishing a list of safe countries of origin, streamlining asylum claims from these countries. The initial list may include Morocco and Tunisia.
- AMIF Funding: The Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) supports initiatives like transnational actions on migration and integration, focusing on critical areas such as migrant women's integration and digital skills for migrants.
East-West Rift Among Member States
Divisions and Tensions
- Deportations: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has highlighted the significance of enhanced deportations of illegal immigrants, a stance that fits with the stance of several Western European countries but might face resistance from Eastern European nations.
- Refugee Relocation: The rift among member states involves ongoing discussions about refugee relocation quotas, with some Eastern European countries displaying reluctance to participate in mandatory quotas for distributing migrants across the EU.
- Migration Policies: The rift often manifests in different migration policies and priorities among member states. Western European countries generally lean toward more inclusive policies, while some Eastern European nations emphasize stricter border controls and reluctance to participate in relocation schemes.
The ongoing migrant crisis in Europe is a complex issue, fraught with cooperation and disagreements among member states. The distribution plan within the EU is in progress, with the European Union intent on executing provisions of its Migration Pact, which includes expediting asylum procedures for nationals from countries with low asylum recognition rates.
One contentious issue is the establishment of a list of safe countries of origin, a move that may initially include Morocco and Tunisia, streamlining asylum claims from these countries. The Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) supports initiatives like transnational actions on migration and integration, focusing on critical areas such as migrant women's integration and digital skills for migrants.
Despite these efforts, a significant East-West rift among member states persists. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized the importance of enhanced deportations of illegal immigrants, a stancethat fits with several Western European countries but might face resistance from Eastern European nations.
The rift among member states also involves ongoing discussions about refugee relocation quotas, with some Eastern European countries demonstrating reluctance to participate in mandatory quotas for distributing migrants across the EU. The divisions and tensions often manifest in different migration policies and priorities among member states, with Western European countries generally leaning toward more inclusive policies, while some Eastern European nations emphasize stricter border controls and reluctance to participate in relocation schemes.
Remaining vigilant about the influence and agenda of certain leaders is crucial in preserving harmony across Europe as hate rhetoric can easily escalate into bigotry. Europe should instead focus on the positive aspects of the migrants arriving on its shores. Many of these newcomers are not impoverished, uneducated individuals; yesterday, they were doctors, teachers, writers, and other professionals in their own countries. This situation presents an opportunity for European society to find a mutually beneficial solution to this ongoing saga.
Recently, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the issue of a new wave of refugees, with 3.65 million Syrian refugees taking refuge in Turkey. Erdogan called for international aid to help Turkey tackle this influx. The ongoing internal disagreements and the rift between EU member-states have contributed to an extended delay in resolving this migrant saga.
Last week, high-level EU and Turkish officials met in Ankara to discuss the refugee crisis and preserve the agreement. While no substantial announcements have transpired, the emergence of an increased influx in the Greek islands within the following months could potentially jeopardize the situation. Turkey and the EU must strike a new accord to overcome this predicament.
Following the massive migrant influx in the summer of 2015, the EU and Turkey struck a deal. In exchange for every Syrian migrant fleeing the turmoil in their homeland being returned to Turkey from Greece's islands, the EU pledged to grant Schengen visa liberalization to Turkish citizens and provide €6 billion to enhance the living conditions of Syrian refugees in Turkey. However, neither of these promises has materialized, with less than half of the promised financial aid being paid to Turkey up until now. Five long years have passed by, and the East-West rift within the EU remains formidable.
Germany has pleaded with other nations to show solidarity and support the overburdened front-line states of Greece and Italy. Bearing in mind the pitfalls from 2015, the German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer forecast a potential upsurge of migrants and urged European nations to adopt an EU quota system for the migrants rescued near Europe's coastlines.
The coastline of Italy was tragically marked by an awful calamity a week past, on 3rd October, when over 300 migrants met their deaths as their overloaded vessel capsized. Despite such harrowing incidents in the Mediterranean, European nations are still grappling with how to handle the ongoing migrant crisis, as the powerful Aegean Sea continues to highlight the struggles experienced by migrants seeking safety and a better life in Europe.
