The new Pact on Migration and Asylum
legalises abuse of migrants and refugees at the external borders
of the European Union and will lead to more deaths at sea,
non-governmental organisations engaged in sea rescue operations
in the Central Mediterranean said on Wednesday.
"The new EU pact on migration legalises abuses at the border and
will cause more deaths at sea: the outcome of the negotiations
legitimises the status quo at the EU's external borders, where
violence and rejections are daily practices," said Sea Watch,
Sea Eye, Maldusa, Mediterranea Saving Humans, Open Arms, Resq
People Saving People, AlarmPhone, Salvamento Maritimo
Humanitario and Sos Humanity in a joint statement.
"The failed Dublin system will be maintained and instead
refugees and asylum seekers will continue to be isolated in
remote camps.
"More and more people will try to flee by sea, choosing
increasingly dangerous routes," added the NGOs.
One of the signatories, Italian NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans,
received praise from Pope Francis for its life-saving work in
the Mediterranean during his general audience on Wednesday
morning.
Under the agreement reached by the European Parliament and the
European Council, the new Pact maintains the Dublin regulation,
namely the principle whereby the first EU country that a migrant
or refugee enters is responsible for processing their case.
However, a new solidarity mechanism has been created among
Member States to balance the current system in which a handful
of countries, including Italy, are responsible for the vast
majority of asylum applications due to their geographical
position on the EU's external borders.
Under this mechanism, some migrants will be relocated to other
EU countries and countries that refuse to take in migrants will
have to provide a financial contribution.
Photo: The Ocean Viking humanitarian rescue ship operated by
French NGO Sos Mediterranée.
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