Brussels, 04/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 2 September, the European Parliament invited the European Commission to rethink the Dublin system in a spirit of solidarity to make it fairer for migrants as well as for member states. MEPs call for the work of examining asylum applications to be shared and for better protection of applicants.
With the adoption of the own-initiative report by Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, UK) by 609 to 53 and 3 abstentions, MEPs call on the Commission to add a provision that restricts the detention of asylum seekers making it a last resort measure, and specifying the grounds on which detention may be employed and the procedural safeguards which should be provided for. Created in 2003, the Dublin system aims to determine which member state is responsible for examining an application for asylum. The system entails a major burden for countries located in the southern part of the Union, which will have to process many applicants although they are not necessarily the final destination of the asylum seeker (Greece, Malta, Cyprus and Spain). Speaking during a debate before the vote, Ms Lambert had said: “The Dublin system, as it works today, does not fulfil its role. There are enormous differences between member states when it is a matter of making a fair examination and recognising requests for protection. It is unfair for persons and for some member states”. MEPs hope that, for vulnerable persons seeking asylum, family reunification will be made possible. The Parliament also expressed its concern about the possible extension of Eurodac for police and judicial purposes. Only a restricted list of agencies and authorities should have access to this database, MEPs say.
During the debate, the European commissioner for justice and home affairs, Jacques Barrot, recalled that he planned to suggest changes to the Dublin and Eurodac regulations by the end of the year, while maintaining the basic principles of the Dublin system. “It is a matter of strengthening both the effectiveness of the system and the protection of those concerned”, he said. In this context, he asserted that he had a series of changes in mind: - improving information provided for asylum seekers; - making the right of appeal more effective; - ensuring that detention of asylum applicants is not arbitrary; - clarifying conditions and procedures to be respected for application of the humanitarian clause; - providing more guarantees for unaccompanied minors; - and broadening the right to family reunification for applicants and beneficiaries of alternative protection. Given the migratory pressure on some member states with limited hosting and absorption capacities, Mr Barrot again pointed out that he was thinking of the prospect of setting up temporary suspension of application of the Dublin provisions for a member state on which the burden is too great, and creating teams of asylum experts that may be called upon by these states. Most of these measures had been announced by the European Commission in June during publication of its action plan on asylum (EUROPE 9683). (B.C./transl.jl)