Brussels, 07/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 6 October, the members of the European Parliament lamented the lack of progress on several proposals in the field of asylum, on which the European Parliament adopted its position at first reading in May 2009 (EUROPE 9897). The MEPs reiterated their wish to see real solidarity building between the member states of the EU, particularly through the creation of obligatory instruments to help the member states which receive a large number of asylum requests. "I do not want to hear about voluntary measures", said Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (ALDE, Netherlands), rapporteur on the revision of the Dublin regulation, which determines which member state is responsible for processing an asylum application. So far, the Council has recommended a voluntary system for sharing applications with the member states at the southern borders of the EU, whereas the EP wants to see obligatory solidarity. "We must strike a balance between the best conditions for the migrants and the speed of procedures", said the representative of the President of the Council. "Voluntary solidarity is really a joke. Some countries do not want to help", said Simon Busuttil (EPP, Malta). On the revision of the directive on reception conditions for asylum seekers, rapporteur Antonio Masip Hidalgo (S&D, Spain) asked why the proposal was "in deadlock" at the Council. "We need to deal with this question quickly", he said. The Council's representative replied that the member states were still a long way from reaching a common position which could be the subject of informal discussions with the Parliament. The rapporteur on plans to create a European asylum office, Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, UK), explained that the role of the EP within the Office was still a subject of disagreement with the Council, as was the degree of involvement for civil society (EUROPE 9989). "Certain member states are having problems dealing with this issue in the framework of co-decision", she said. On the planned revision of the Eurodac regulation, the European Commission has presented a new proposal to give the police access to the database. Monica Luisa Macovei (EPP, Romania) pointed out that governing this access needed to be clarified. Sophie In't Veld (ALDE, Netherlands), asked for more guarantees that the data would not be accessible to third countries. Regarding the proposal for a European programme for the resettlement of refugees from third countries, the question is as follows, said the rapporteur on this dossier, Rui Tavares (GUE/NGL, Portugal). "How can we make the programme attractive to the member states?" As for the resettled people, "what will happen to them afterwards?", he asked. (B.C./transl.fl)