One after the strategy defined to manage the refugee crisis is well far to be implemented
by Emanuele Bonini
The European agenda for migration didn't work. Doesn't work. One year after, migrants are still in Italy and in Greece waiting to be relocated among the other EU Member States. Despite all the efforts of the European Commission, national governments didn't deliver. Despite what the European Commission can state, latest figures show an epic fail in dealing with migration crisis. As of 26 September 2016, just 1,196 out of 39,600 people have been relocated from Italy to the rest of the EU, while just 4,399 out of 66,400 refugees have been relocated from Greece. In total, in a year 5,595 persons were transferred inside Europe, namely the 5,2% of the 106,000 migrants that Member States promised to take care. A clear sign of how national governments are committed in finding a solution and put an end to the crisis.
The 22nd of September, 2015, the European Council agreed to put in place a relocation system allowing the redistribution of all migrants arrived in in Italy and Greece. The Members of the European Union should welcome 120,000 migrants in two years, but looking at the rhythm of the relocations made until now, it seems unlikely that final goal could be achieved. The special formula behind the relocation scheme, which is mandatory on a voluntary basis, is the main reason of such a delay. Member States simply don't want to act.
The European Commission tried to defend its own strategy. «Our measures work», stated the EU Commissioner in charge for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos. Unfortunately reality suggests it is not true. If anything worked, it didn't properly. According to Avramopoulos «considerable progress have been made as a Union on the refugee crisis», but figures are there to contradict him. Of course 5,595 relocations are a great achievement compared to none, but they are a failure compared to what it is the final goal.
There is lack of progress also in financial contributions to the different trust funds set up to deal with the migration crisis. The trust fund for Africa registered a shortfall in resources for 1,7 billion Euro, namely half of the total money would supposed to be there. The EU put its contribution of 1,8 billion Euro: the missing part is the one Member States are responsible for.
In Brussels know it has been done too little. They can't admit the failure of the agenda for migration, but the truth is more has to be done. «Relocation has to succeed» said Avramopoulos. This means relocation has not succeed, yet. So what? So, let's keep the fingers crossed and hope something happen. And something happened, indeed. Borders have been closed, a new anti-migrant barrier is under construction in Calais, along the British-French border, and a referendum against migration quota will take place in Hungary next Sunday.
The European agenda for migration didn't work. Doesn't work. One year after, migrants are still in Italy and in Greece waiting to be relocated among the other EU Member States. Despite all the efforts of the European Commission, national governments didn't deliver. Despite what the European Commission can state, latest figures show an epic fail in dealing with migration crisis. As of 26 September 2016, just 1,196 out of 39,600 people have been relocated from Italy to the rest of the EU, while just 4,399 out of 66,400 refugees have been relocated from Greece. In total, in a year 5,595 persons were transferred inside Europe, namely the 5,2% of the 106,000 migrants that Member States promised to take care. A clear sign of how national governments are committed in finding a solution and put an end to the crisis.
The 22nd of September, 2015, the European Council agreed to put in place a relocation system allowing the redistribution of all migrants arrived in in Italy and Greece. The Members of the European Union should welcome 120,000 migrants in two years, but looking at the rhythm of the relocations made until now, it seems unlikely that final goal could be achieved. The special formula behind the relocation scheme, which is mandatory on a voluntary basis, is the main reason of such a delay. Member States simply don't want to act.
The European Commission tried to defend its own strategy. «Our measures work», stated the EU Commissioner in charge for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos. Unfortunately reality suggests it is not true. If anything worked, it didn't properly. According to Avramopoulos «considerable progress have been made as a Union on the refugee crisis», but figures are there to contradict him. Of course 5,595 relocations are a great achievement compared to none, but they are a failure compared to what it is the final goal.
There is lack of progress also in financial contributions to the different trust funds set up to deal with the migration crisis. The trust fund for Africa registered a shortfall in resources for 1,7 billion Euro, namely half of the total money would supposed to be there. The EU put its contribution of 1,8 billion Euro: the missing part is the one Member States are responsible for.
In Brussels know it has been done too little. They can't admit the failure of the agenda for migration, but the truth is more has to be done. «Relocation has to succeed» said Avramopoulos. This means relocation has not succeed, yet. So what? So, let's keep the fingers crossed and hope something happen. And something happened, indeed. Borders have been closed, a new anti-migrant barrier is under construction in Calais, along the British-French border, and a referendum against migration quota will take place in Hungary next Sunday.
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