The three hotspots of the migration crisis
(B2) A new emergency meeting of the interior ministers of the 28 is convened next Tuesday (22 October). At the heart of the debate, three hot spots.
Receive or pay?
The European Commission has proposed to distribute 120.000 refugees among the member countries of the European Union (*). A distribution by country fixed in a way according to a mathematical key which combines population size, gross domestic product, percentage of asylum seekers and unemployment rate. The countries of Eastern Europe (Hungary, Romania, Czech Rep., Slovakia, Romania) refuse the compulsory character as the number which is allotted to them. It will be a question of convincing them. Thomas de Maizière, the German Minister of the Interior, proposed to hit the recalcitrant in the wallet. Countries that do not accept their quota would then see their European funding reduced. This measure does not arouse unanimity…
What possible border controls?
Several countries, including Germany, Austria and Slovakia, have just re-established controls at certain internal border posts in the Union. This temporary measure will have to be framed in time under penalty of calling into question the functioning of the Schengen area.
Which countries are safe?
In order to speed up the processing of asylum applications, a common list of countries of origin considered to be safe must be drawn up. Barring exceptions, the citizens of these countries will be turned back. The proposed list includes the Balkan countries — Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, etc. — and… Turkey. The inclusion of the latter country on this list poses a problem. Some states, including France, do not consider the Ankara regime very safe.
(*) Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom are excluded from this distribution, benefiting from an exception from the European Treaties.
(NGV)
(*) article published in Sud-Ouest