Solidarity and security

The migration challenge is “a European problem” that must be dealt with in these terms on the basis of solidarity and security. The issue was highlighted by the EU Commission upon the presentation of a “strategy” due to be discussed by Council and EU Parliament, which calls to address urgent questions linked to the recent events in North Africa and to other long-term challenges.Rapid, common response. “It is clear that the EU needs a strong common asylum and migration policy”, said Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs on May 4. The initiatives proposed by the Executive are aimed at “a more structured, comprehensive, rapid-response approach from the EU to the challenges and opportunities of migration, not least in view of the current developments in the Mediterranean”. The Commission proposals cover various areas of intervention that include “strengthened border control”, completion of the Common European Asylum System, “more targeted” legal migration, exchange of best practices “for successful integration of migrants”, and a “strategic approach for relations with third countries on migration”. The Commission acknowledges that “some EU Member States are more directly exposed to massive arrivals of migrants than others (the reference is primarily to Italy and Malta, ed.’s note) but this situation can not be handled at the national level alone. It requires the mobilisation of all Members States at the EU level”.Problems and advantages for the EU. Commissioner Malmström underlines: “The EU must live up to its vocation to offer a haven to those in need of protection, and at the same time show solidarity both with the countries in North Africa which are currently sheltering the vast bulk of the migrants from Libya, (Tunisia and Egypt, ed.’s note) as well as with those of our Member States faced with the greatest influx of migrants arriving by sea”. “It is also clear that the EU would benefit from some targeted labour immigration in order to help address expected labour shortages in many sectors, and to redress the projected decline in Europe’s working age population” in the coming years. But at the same time, continues the Swedish Commissioner, “migration must be properly managed – this means ensuring effective border control and the return of irregular migrants. This also means that we should not leave it only up to the Member States at our external borders to deal with extraordinary migratory situations”.Asylum, Schengen, security. The initiatives proposed by the Commission include “the completion of the Common European Asylum System by 2012” along with “Strengthened border control and Schengen governance to address irregular immigration” and the proposal of “better targeted legal migration into the EU to facilitate the immigration of persons with skills needed to assist the EU to fill expected labour and skills shortages”. The Commission highlights the importance of the “sharing of best practices in Member States’ approaches to the integration of legal immigrants in the EU, and finally, “a strategic approach to relations with third countries on migration-related issues, aimed at facilitating movement of persons through enhanced legal migration possibilities, combined with measures to prevent irregular migration”. The document will serve as a basis for the special meeting of the Justice and Internal Affairs Council of May 12 “to be followed by a migration-focused discussion at the 24 June European Council”.External border control. The document by the Commission – which mentions the ongoing support provided by FRONTEX and EUROPOL – underlines the displacement of over 650.000 people who have had to flee the violence in Libya, while over a short period of time 25 000 have landed on the Southern shores of Europe. “Recent events have also triggered concerns about the functioning of the Schengen system”, the document states with reference to the controversies between Italy and France, apparently solved during the bilateral summit held at the end of April. “The free movement of people across European borders is a major achievement which must not be reversed, but rather strengthened. That is why the Commission has already proposed a better evaluation mechanism to ensure that the external borders are effectively controlled”. Moreover, points out the Commission, “To safeguard the stability of the Schengen area, it may also be necessary to foresee the temporary re-introduction of limited internal border controls under very exceptional circumstances”.