Devendra Kumar
The European Union’s lawmakers have approved a new migration system aimed at reducing irregular arrivals and stemming the gains of the far right ahead of the European parliamentary election in June. The system is designed to cut the processing times for asylum and security procedures at the EU’s external borders and increase returns to reduce unwanted immigration from the Middle East and Africa. The EU is under pressure from the far right, which is expected to gain seats in the upcoming election, and the EU is keen to prevent a repeat of the chaos that occurred in 2015. The current EU population stands at 450 million, with over 46,000 people arriving in the EU this year outside of regular border crossings.
Commissioner Ylva Johansson hailed the vote, saying it would enable the EU to better protect its external borders, vulnerable individuals, and refugees, while also swiftly returning those who are not eligible to stay. She also emphasized the importance of mandatory solidarity between member states. However, rights groups have expressed concern over the potential negative impact of the new system on thousands of people’s lives. Activists claim that the changes allow for large-scale internment, including of children, and give member states the option to buy themselves out of hosting new arrivals.
Poland has already stated that it will not accept an EU immigrant relocation scheme, but with a majority of member states expected to rubber-stamp the revamp, it remains to be seen how the new system will play out on the ground. The EU has two years to implement the changes, but analysts warn that major changes will not happen overnight. The proposed system is intended to balance the obligations of arrival countries like Italy with the help provided by richer destinations like Germany. However, anti-immigration, eurosceptic, and far-right parties have criticized the proposal for not going far enough to stop migration, while leftists and rights activists have lambasted it as a major blow to human rights.
The new system has been designed to streamline the processing of asylum claims and increase the number of migrants returned to their home countries. However, critics argue that this will lead to the mass detention of migrants, including children, and give member states the option to opt-out of hosting new arrivals. Human rights groups have also expressed concern that the EU is asking foreign states to handle migrants without sufficient safeguards. The debate surrounding the new system has been heated, with anti-immigration and far-right parties demanding tougher measures to stem the flow of migrants into the EU, while leftists and rights activists have argued that the system will lead to human rights abuses and violation of international law.