MEPs adopt ‘lowest common denominator’ report on migration

The justice and home affairs committee of the European Parliament has today adopted a ‘lowest common denominator’ set of proposals on a ‘holistic’ approach to resolving the migration crisis, according to European Conservatives and Reformists shadow rapporteur, Helga Stevens MEP.

The justice and home affairs committee of the European Parliament has today adopted a ‘lowest common denominator’ set of proposals on a ‘holistic’ approach to resolving the migration crisis, according to European Conservatives and Reformists shadow rapporteur, Helga Stevens MEP.

The Flemish MEP said that she could not support the report, which includes a call for drastically reforming the Dublin rules by turning it into a permanent relocation mechanism without any conditions, such as stemming the influx of migrants.

Although the report is not legislative, it will help to influence the European Commission’s legislative proposals, including a series of proposals on reforming the Dublin regulation, which were due to be published today but delayed again to the middle of April.

Mrs Stevens said following the vote:

“This report and how it was negotiated just goes to show the clear divide that Europe has over how to resolve this crisis. The political right, ECR included, wants to talk about border control first, whilst the left wants to talk about more legal routes being created immediately. This report represents the lowest common denominator of both sides of the argument with a little bit of something for everyone, but absolutely no comprehensive or plausible plan for resolving this crisis.

“The committee has asked for a highly centralised asylum system that forces decisions onto Member States, with new routes created for legal migration and other new pull factors by conflating refugees and economic migrants. It is not a report that seeks to stem the flow with practical measures, nor does it appreciate that many migrants have little intention to stay in the country they are assigned to. We need solutions based on cooperation that can be agreed quickly, not wish lists that will simply pit countries against each other, and against the EU institutions.”