There are “no technical obstacles” to the rapid disembarkation and relocation of migrants and asylum seekers to other Member States, only political obstacles.
This is the conclusion drawn by Martin Schieffer, Head of Unit for Home Affairs (DG Home) at the Commission, before the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties on Monday 20 January.
Invited to review the implementation of the Malta Declaration approved on 23 September by Malta, France, Italy and Germany to relieve Italy and Malta in the arrivals of NGO boats, the EU official said that 1,000 people through 24 landing operations had so far been relocated from Italy to other participating Member countries (see EUROPE 12333/1).
These operations were carried out relatively quickly, without any particular difficulties, and involved between 4 and 10 Member States in general. A figure that is still “insufficient”, but which already constitutes a good “critical mass” and even a “success”, commented the official, whose main aim was to signal to Member States that, with political will, migrant relocation schemes could easily work in the EU. This, at a time when the Commission is currently reflecting on its future Pact on Asylum and Migration.
In this capacity, the two European officials, Margaritis Schinas (Promotion of the European Way of Life) and Commissioner Ylva Johansson (Home Affairs) will be in Italy on Tuesday 21 January.
In front of the Head of Unit, elected representatives such as Sophie in't Veld (Renew Europe, Netherlands) confirmed that this Malta Declaration, with a maximum of ten Member States having participated in the operations, could not be qualified as a “European instrument”. But at least “something is moving”, the Liberal MEP reacted.
For the Commission official, the procedure was satisfactory in 2019, pending a “post-Dublin” mechanism and long-term solutions.
And although not binding, the Malta Declaration “represents a political ambition to achieve solidarity” in order to save lives at sea, he added. The Commission remains ready to provide financial assistance to Member States that would like to join the movement, he also said.
However, the official did not comment on the current situation in Libya and its short-term repercussions on the arrival of migrants on European shores and did not give any indications to MEPs on what would remain of Parliament's work under the previous legislature in the future Migration Pact announced by Ursula von der Leyen. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)