La European Commission presented a plan to amend the rules on the relocation of migrants. The goal is to overcome the Dublin regulation, which obliges countries of entry to deal with reception and repatriation. The solution proposed by Brussels represents "a fair balance between responsibility and solidarity", said the number one of the Community executive, Ursula Von del Leyen.
The ambition is to bring together countries whose positions still appear light years away. In essence, the Commission is putting another mechanism on the table voluntary solidarity, not compulsory. Italy and Greece, the EU members most exposed to migratory flows, have long been asking for the introduction of some type of constraint, but – at least for the moment – they remain unheard.
The main joke for Rome and Athens is that, in the Commission's proposal, the country of entry mechanism established by Dublin will not be cancelled, contrary to what was anticipated in recent days by Von der Leyen.
The proposal is this: Brussels will be able to activate a solidarity mechanism, but only on request of a country under particular pressure. The only automatism is provided for migrants being rescued at sea, but also the countries of disembarkation will have to accept a part of it, on the basis of the Commission's assessments.
In fact, there is no obligation: countries will be able to choose whether to do their part accepting a quota of asylum seekers or taking charge of the migrants to be repatriated (with contributions of 10 euros per person). However, the latter - in the meantime - will remain in the country of entry and will be transferred only in the event of non-repatriation.
In essence, the countries most reluctant to open their borders have a plan B available, which consists of a mere economic-logistic support.
The Commission is also aiming for one greater sharing of the management of asylum applications of migrants arriving on the shores of the Union, harmonizing border procedures and extending the cases in which asylum requests can be made in countries other than the country of entry.
At this point, the ball passes to the European Parliament. But the words spoken on Tuesday by the Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, leave little room for optimism: "The redistribution of asylum seekers in Europe has failed", said the number one from Vienna, who rather prefers to better defend the external borders.
