Brussels, 17/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) has just adopted a declaration on a common asylum and immigration policy for the EU in which they underline the responsibility of the Union at the world level in this field. Thus the Bishops:
Insist on the respect of the right to asylum, which should also be ensured through a fair access to the EU asylum system. The refugees and asylum seekers should be welcomed under conditions guaranteeing the respect for their personal dignity and their requests examined according to procedures of the highest quality;
Encouraging, in terms of immigration, the European Commission in its initiative aiming to strengthen the cooperation with the countries of origin in order to combat the deep causes of emigration. For the Church, any man has the right to emigrate to find better living conditions, but the use of this right is regulated, as its uncontrolled application could be dangerous to the common good of communities that host migrants. According to the Bishops, "before the manifold interests that are interwoven side by side with the laws of the individual countries, it is necessary to have international standards that are capable of regulating everyone's rights, so as to prevent unilateral decisions that are harmful to the weakest".
State their concern with the situation of people with irregular status whose personal dignity is often trodden upon as well as of those who do not succeed in living with their families;
In conclusion, COMECE launches a call on the governments of the Member States for them to "recognise their mutual interdependence and to work for the development of common European rules to the benefit of both migrants and the host society" and that the work actively in accompanying the preparatory process for a true Common European Asylum and Immigration Policy.
EUROPE recalls that the Commission launched, last November, a wide ranging debate on asylum and immigration that should lead in December 2001 to common European systems (see EUROPE of 23 November 2000, p.13).