Migration in Europe – 27.11.2007, Prague, Czech Republic

1. Migration in Europe – 27.11.2007, Prague, Czech Republic EU Migration and Asylum Policy

2. CCME Churches‘ Commission for Migrants in Europe is the ecumenical agency on • Migration and Integration, • Refugees and Asylum, and • against Racism and Discrimination in Europe

3. CCME‘s Mission CCME is the ecumenical organisation that serves the churches in their commitment to strangers, responding to the message of the Bible which insists on the dignity of every human being.

4. Migration – Normality and Reality • Reasons forcing people to leave their country are manifold: • conflicts and wars • political, ethnic or religious persecution • poverty and unemployment • Natural catastrophes, drought, shortage of water…

5. Migration – Normality and Reality • Migration is however not only by force. Motivations are: • Improvement of living conditions • Education and training • Changing life • Family • Adventure • But also: Mission

6. Net migration

9. Migration – Percepetions • Migration Africa-Southern Europe (Spain, Italy) • Flight, Dispair, Risk • Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings

10. Fortress Europe? • For years, decreasing refugees and asylum seekers in Europe • Little acceptance of immigration, despite demographic need • Migration regarded more a problem than a reality

11. EU Policy Migration and Asylum • 80ies: Freedom of movement in the EU for EU citizens – right • 90ies: Limitation of asylum with common standards • Schengen Convention • Dublin Convention • 1999-2004 Tampere Programme • 2004-2009 Hague Programme

12. Categories of EU legislation Asylum and Migration • Migration of EU citizens in the EU falls under „internal freedom of movement“ within the EU (still with exemptions however of new EU members as of 1. 5. 2004) • Asylum and migration policy concerns citizens of non-EU countries („Third Country Nationals“) – e.g. persons from Ukraine • Asylum and migration policy is broadly ruled through EU Directives setting a framework which need to be transposed into national legislation

13. Competence of the EU in Asylum and Migration • Council of Tampere 15./16. Oct. 1999 decided an ambitious legal and political programme in the field of asylum and migration: • Common European Asylum system • Equal Treatment of Third Country Nationals • Fighting irregular migration • Cooperation with countries of origin

14. Protecting Refugees • Geneva Refugee Convention 1951 • EU Directives: • Temporary Protection (2000) • Reception Conditions (2003) • Definition and Status of Refugees (2004)

15. Lack of protection for refugees • Decreasing rate of recognition of grounds of asylum, restricted access to asylum procedures • Dublin II Regulation (2003) and EURODAC 2002 • Asylum prodedures directive (2005) • No asylum procedure in case of „safe“ country of origin or „safe“ third country • Examination of the way, rather than the reason for seeking asylum

16. Externalisation of refugee protection • Cooperation with countries of origin and transit • Readmission Agreements of the EU (Morocco, Ukraine, Russia) • Refugee protection in the regions, programmes since 2005/2006 • Region of Great Lakes/East Africa • Ukraine, Byelorussia, Moldavia • EU Border Control Agency FRONTEX

17. Evaluation of EU asylum directives • Less refugees in most EU countries and the EU as a whole • Dublin II and Eurodac evaluation: Relative increase of cases in border countries in the South and East of the EU • Border countries do not treat all asylum claims if referred under Dublin II • Asylum Procedures Directive – EU Court of Justice, EP vs EU Council

18. Common European Asylum System • Green Book June 2007 and Hearing November 2007 • Minimum Standards Common System and Status • Refugee Resettlement as durable solution and protection in other regions in cooperation with UNHCR

19. Migration Policy • Family Reunification Directive (2003) • Long Term Resident Third Country Nationals (2003) • Entry and residence for study, training (2004)

20. EU initiatives against irregular migration • Cooperation between EU and EU Member States with Third Countries on limiting migration (Liaison officers for immigration, document verification prior to departure e.g. U.K.-France, U.K.-Belgium) - > Decison on a Network of immigration liaison officers (EC/377/2004) • Action Programme Return (2002) and financial instrument return (15 million € per annum since 2005) • Common Border Guard Units – European border agency FRONTEX (decided in 2004, seat in Warsaw), common curricula for border guards and financial instrument for border security • EU Directive Common Standards for Return – under negotiation

21. New migration policy?

22. And the Czech Republic… • Compared to other countries in the region, low emigration • Transit country rather than destination for asylum seekers • Immigrants 2,5 % of the population

23. Churches‘ views and positions • The human being „created in the image of God“ deserves undivided dignity • „You shall treat the stranger among you as one of you“ • Therefore, fair and humane migration policy and treatment of migrants, and proper protection of refugees.

24. CCME Rue Joseph II 174 B-1000 Brüssel Tel: +32 2 234.68.00 Fax: +32 2 231.14.13 E-mail: info@ccme.be Web: www.ccme.be