In Libya: "there is no event" that justifies the temporary protection clause

(B2) The opening of the temporary protection clause to accommodate Libyan refugees or displaced persons does not seem to be relevant. And the European authorities are doing everything to avoid the subject.

At the European Commission briefing, as I asked the question, I was surprised to hear the spokesperson for Cecilia Malmström, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, reply that these were just "purely hypothetical questions" which he did not want to answer. RELAUNCH. He just added:We are not faced with an event that justifies it. [...] The decision cannot be made before the events are triggered. ! And to add: this clause " has never been used (see box).

Faced with the enormity of the analysis completely detached from the political level, another spokesperson made a point of specifying that the triggering event is the migratory influx on a European territory, “ which is currently not the case ».

The temporary clause triggered by a massive influx of migrants

A pithy analysis that is completely detached from the dramatic political context of Libya, which nevertheless clearly reflects the attitude of the Member States today. It is true that the event triggering the temporary protection clause is the influx of migrants into a European territory. " Which is currently not the case. There is no massive influx of migrants another spokesperson said. And the Member States are careful not to create a draft.

Europeans and Italians paralyzed by a migratory arrival

It must be said that the Europeans (especially the Italians) are, today, so obsessed, one could say paralyzed, by a possible migratory arrival from Africa. Until forgetting the geopolitical context and the historical tone of these revolts in countries. One cannot help thinking that this could be the case and that it would be advisable to study at least this question which is not only hypothetical, with all due respect to Me Malmström and his spokesperson.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

A clause applied before the letter

If the directive adopted in 2001 has never been applied as such, the "temporary protection clause", on the other hand, has already been applied - before the letter - during the wars of Yugoslavia (Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo). It was one of the elements of the "Global response to the humanitarian crisis in the former Yugoslavia" adopted by European ministers. And the directive is, in a way, only the harmonization and codification of the previous practice of European countries which had decided to welcome refugees outside the Yugoslav republics, in order to "deflate" the camps managed by the UNHCR and the NGOs that were overflowing.

Read also: Which countries hosted the most refugees during the Yugoslav conflict?