On Thursday 16 November, the European Parliament confirmed the mandate granted by the civil liberties committee (LIBE) in October to rapporteur, Cécilia Wikström, on reform of the European asylum system and the Dublin regulation (see EUROPE 11887).
In this connection, MEPs are now ready to negotiate with the Council, which has not, however, reached a position on this matter, yet.
More than 78 MEPs had called for a vote to take place during the plenary session, as the new internal rules at the institution allow them to do. The European Parliament reached a decision on this mandate, which was confirmed by a comfortable majority (390 votes for, 175 against, 44 abstentions).
It should be recalled that the LIBE committee adopted a position that was very much opposed to the wishes of the Council of the EU and put in place an automatic relocation system for asylum seekers in the EU, as well as a halt to the country of first entry principle when submitting assignment requests.
LIBE also maintained the much decried idea at the Council of compulsory quotas and financial sanctions against countries seeking to avoid them.
The Council is still attempting to reach a position. The Estonian Presidency of the EU is very soon expected to submit a compromise proposal to the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the EU (Coreper). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)