EU action on asylum

The cri de couer from European Commission justice commissioner Franco Frattini when he launched a new initiative on asylum policy…

The cri de couer from European Commission justice commissioner Franco Frattini when he launched a new initiative on asylum policy last week should be listened to carefully by political leaders and citizens as they face another wave of migration this summer. Thousands of migrants and asylum seekers from Africa were intercepted or drowned in the last couple of years attempting to find refuge in the European Union. Their dramatic and often desperate efforts have attracted more publicity and sympathy than practical solidarity among EU member states.

Mr Frattini pointed out that EU interior and justice ministers promised in writing to supply 115 boats and 25 helicopters for the new border force Frontex. But they have failed to deliver on their promises. In practice the frontline EU states faced with encountering boatloads of refugees have borne the main burden of rescuing, accommodating - or burying - them. Thus Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Malta have been in the foreground of demands for a more effective common policy, backed up by this border police force. Those farther away from the problem are less concerned.

This is despite the reality referred to by Mr Frattini that there is already a common regime in place to deal with asylum and immigration. Last year 181,770 people applied for asylum in EU territory. He wants to see a more effective system in place with more harmonised procedures for those who genuinely need protection and safeguards against the minority of those who practise "asylum shopping" by lodging multiple applications in several member states. Similar people are treated very differently at present, so that Iraqis seeking asylum were refused in 88 per cent of cases by the UK last year, 84 per cent by Ireland compared to 40 per cent in Sweden.

Mr Frattini's Green Paper on the issue is intended to stimulate debate ahead of a more formal commission proposal next year, leading to the adoption of new legislation by 2010. Already the harmonisation of legal conditions for asylum based on common minimum standards and agreed criteria for where applications should be made - the so-called Dublin system - is nearly complete. The next phase envisages fewer differences between national procedures, legal standards and reception conditions. Better legislation, implementation, burden-sharing and external controls are called for.

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These are worthwhile objectives which enjoy substantial popular support among EU citizens who understand the need for common policies. But the ministries involved are all too often loath to surrender sovereignty.