The PES stands for a shared response to a shared challenge and opportunity.
Therefore, when managing migration, we have to uphold our core values. The way we deal with this will affect, on the one hand, people’s right to move and lead a decent life, and on the other hand, the stability, security and cohesion of the host communities. It is therefore crucial that migration and integration policies must be grounded first and foremost in humanity and solidarity with refugees, other migrants and host communities alike.
Migration is part of human history and can be an important driver for innovation, but it is also increasingly the result of political, economic, social and gender inequalities on a global scale. Climate change is increasing the scale of inequalities. Uneven development among regions of the world, growing uneven distribution of wealth, conflict, persecutions, massive violations of human rights, climate change, changing demographics and a lack of future perspectives are reasons for people to leave their homes behind to start a life elsewhere. Indeed, the latter reason is also a push factor for important departures of skilled workers and employees from Northern Africa or the Western Balkans.
The number of refugees, asylum-seekers and displaced people around the world has topped 65 million according to UNHCR. The vast majority of people do not migrate to the European Union. There are more people moving within Africa than towards Europe. Over 80% of refugees globally are hosted close to their home countries, within low-income and low-growth regions. Together we support these countries in order to ensure that refugees can live in secure, humane and decent conditions; Migration involves multiple dimensions – global, national and local –Migration and development must be approached as interconnected variables and their mutual relationship must be addressed from a multidimensional perspective, encompassing economic, political, social, environmental, cultural, ethnic, gender, geographical, and demographic factors.
The number of asylum seekers, other migrants and irregular migrants entering the EU reached high levels during 2015. More than one million refugees and other migrants crossed into the EU in 2015 and crossings remained high in 2016 and 2017. Only a few countries have been continuously dealing with the largest numbers of people arriving and settling. As the front-line Member States, Italy, Greece and Spain, along with, Germany, Austria and Sweden, have taken by far the largest share of the responsibility, with some other countries refusing to contribute sufficiently. Recently, Spain has become the main destination of the migrant routes to the EU. This situation has created division in the EU over how to best deal with the relocation of newcomers. This cannot be accepted in a democratic Europe and the PES family calls for equal responsibilities regarding policies on welcoming refugees across all EU countries and respecting international and EU agreements and law. We stand against the criminalization of humanitarian assistance to migrants and refugees. In 2018 the number of people trying to enter the European Union was significantly lower than in 2015. However, we have to recognize that migration is increasing globally and the European Union is part of this development.
Our policies are guided by international human rights law and standards. The PES stands firmly for the right of asylum. People in need deserve our support. Yet the actual system clearly needs to be improved. Thus we propose to go further than the current Commission-led reform process in order to establish an independent agency of common asylum which would guarantee the right of asylum.
