European Economic and Social Committee
Synthesis Report 16 March 2016*
KEY MESSAGES
The European Economic and Social Committee wholeheartedly appreciates the important role civil society is playing in the current refugee crisis. Without its response, the tragic humanitarian situation which has unfolded in many European countries could have been even more catastrophic. Through its commitment to giving a voice to those involved, the EESC has undertaken 11 fact-finding missions - to Austria, Sweden, Greece, Hungary, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Malta, Poland and Bulgaria. On the basis of the results of these missions, and of the considerable experience of its members, the EESC, as a representative and supporter of organised civil society, presents its key messages to the Member States and EU institutions for addressing the refugee crisis:
a. The European Union and the Member States must work together to achieve a genuine common European asylum system, as stipulated in Article 78 TFEU, as well as a fair distribution of refugees. Common EU criteria to determine whether a person is entitled to international protection should be reinforced and properly implemented.
b. The Dublin regulation must be reviewed, taking account of the fact that countries of first arrival are often only transit countries for the refugees.
c. The European Union and the Member States should allocate sufficient national resources (staff, funding and infrastructure) to the reception of and assistance to refugees. If civil society organisations fulfil the tasks of Member States, as happens in many places, governments should compensate them accordingly. Furthermore, CSOs need easier access to EU funding.
d. Member States are responsible for implementing the mandatory requirements of the Geneva Convention. The European Council, European Commission and European Parliament should acknowledge responsibility for actively supporting Member States, in order to allow them to deal with the refugee crisis.
e. The achievements of the Schengen System must be preserved. Effective external border controls are a precondition to maintaining it. Securing borders must not mean shutting out those who need protection for humanitarian reasons, in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
f. Refugees need safe, regular routes to come to the EU, in order to avoid further deaths, human rights violations and exposure to smuggling and trafficking. A more coordinated approach from all of the European and international stakeholders involved is needed.
g. The European Union and its Member States should support refugees in the countries neighbouring conflict zones.
h. Information campaigns should dissuade economic migrants from risking their lives trying to reach the EU. Orders to return people whose asylum claims have been rejected, should be enforced. Stories by returnees should serve as a deterrent and to counter the biased information being spread by smugglers. i. Frontex's mandate and resources must be strengthened in order to improve search and rescue operations. Frontex should play a bigger role in the registration at the external borders.
j. In order to make the relocation mechanism fully functional, registration at Europe's external borders must be obligatory, all planned hotspots need to become operational and active 24/7 and more hotspots need to be considered. Member States should live up to their promise to deploy staff to the hotspots and make additional resources available.
k. Asylum seekers need to be given up-to-date information about their rights and obligations on their arrival and in a language they understand. Refugees, in particular the most vulnerable ones, and the volunteers who work with them need appropriate psychological assistance. Medical services should be provided at arrival points.
l. Cooperation and coordination among civil society organisations (CSOs) and with their governments needs to be improved and professionalised to ensure they are sustainable. Members States must establish a clear line of responsibility for the often cross-cutting issue of reception of and assistance to refugees and ensure the coordination of public authorities at various levels.
m. The EU should do more to coordinate humanitarian efforts and ensure a larger EU presence and visibility in the countries that are the main destinations for refugees, for instance through the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) or a similar body.
n. Due account needs to be taken of the concerns of the local population. However, any hate speech, misinformation about refugees and xenophobic discourse must be firmly counteracted and the positive contributions of refugees must be highlighted in order to change the way they are portrayed in the media. Refugees should be seen not as a threat but as an opportunity for Europe's economic and social model.
o. More than ever, it is important to implement strong economic policies in order to stimulate growth and job creation for all. Assistance for refugees and their integration is an economic stimulus in itself. Growth and jobs help counter hostility against refugees.
p. Sustainable long-term integration policies, covering skills screening and recognition, education and training, including civic education and language courses, need to be applied as soon as possible if a positive outcome of the asylum procedure is to be expected. Labour market participation should be fostered in cooperation with the social partners. Investment in integration measures will pay off in the medium and long term, while the cost of no integration would be huge.
Following the fact-finding missions, the EESC is now better prepared to contribute to the resolution of the refugee crisis and to policies for the integration of refugees. As a representative of organised civil society, the EESC, will be channelling its needs, observations and recommendations towards the EU institutions, European citizens and their organisations. By adding our expertise, as well as European and global perspectives, the EESC will further contribute to the development of EU policies in the area of asylum and migration.