The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe announced yesterday the adoption of an ‘Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025)’. It pays particular attention to the context of the pandemic and provides for enhanced cooperation between Member States, as explained by Drahoslav Štefánek, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees.
Agence Europe - What are the main lines of this Action Plan?
Drahoslav Štefánek - It focuses on vulnerable people: children, unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, elderly people, etc.
One of the main issues is the identification of these persons, with particular attention to the age assessment procedures for minors. It is also about providing psychological and medical assistance and access to information, legal aid and justice.
Once they are protected, it is important to support their language learning and integration by improving access to education and employment. The ‘European Qualifications Passport for Refugees’ developed by the Council of Europe makes sense here.
- The focus is on cooperation between migration and asylum authorities in the Council of Europe Member States. What form will it take?
It is taking shape through the creation of a real network that will meet regularly from next June and has a list - not exhaustive - of proposals for enhanced cooperation that we are publishing in the annexes to the new Action Plan. These proposals concern both the legislative and regulatory framework and the development and dissemination of manuals and guides for the protection of risk groups.
- What about cooperation with the European Union?
It is important; we work in synchronisation with the EU. I have regular consultations with the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights based in Vienna as well as with the Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG Home) in the European Commission. I am following the negotiations on the ‘Asylum and Migration Package’ proposed by the European Commission and participated in the Frontex Fundamental Rights Advisory Forum in February 2020.
- What will be your role as High Representative of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe in the implementation of this 2021-2025 Action Plan?
It focuses on coordination. This should be activated within the Council of Europe where several entities work separately on issues related to the rights of migrants and asylum seekers, those devoted to children, women, education, non-discrimination, and also the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) or the Pompidou Group, which fights against drug trafficking.
Coordination is also essential with our international partners: the European Union, but also the Geneva-based Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, the Action Plans will be the subject of interim reports, which I will present to the Permanent Representatives of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the 47 Member States.
Link to the 2021-2025 Action Plan: https://bit.ly/3etWb3P (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)