Reform the Dublin system – solidarity needed

Asylum seekers and other migrants arriving in the European Union all too often face unacceptable conditions in reception centres in the Member States. The conditions are even worse for women, children, elderly and people from the LGBTIQ community. The current Common European Asylum System (CEAS) is not functioning effectively. A reform of the CEAS is a first important step towards an effective, harmonized, proportional and progressive European asylum policy, based on solidarity, an equal sharing of responsibilities and respect for fundamental human rights. We therefore call urgently on all Member States to implement the necessary changes in order to achieve our common objectives. According to the Dublin regulation, which determines which EU Member State is responsible for examining an asylum application, the country where a migrant arrives first is the one that must process the application for asylum. This leads to an unacceptable pressure on countries at the borders of the EU. A fundamental overhaul of the Dublin rules is necessary. This revision should establish a system where an asylum claim has a truly European dimension.

We call on all Member States and the EU institutions for a strong commitment to reform the legal framework and to give effective support to those Member States confronted with the highest number of refugees and other migrants and to increase their efforts to implement the relocation and resettlement schemes. These schemes reflect fundamental European values of solidarity and responsibility so each Member State must take its part of the shared challenge or face financial sanctions. Rescuing humans at sea is not only a moral obligation but also an obligation under international law for all ships under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. We call for shared and complementary actions, including granting humanitarian visas, and a legally binding agreement among the Member States for the disembarkation of those who are saved in Search and Rescue operations among Member States. When a boat arrives on the shores of Tarifa, Lampedusa, Malta, or Lesbos, it’s not an arrival to a country, but an arrival in the European Union. The PES makes a stand for shared, proportional and regional EU responsibility. The EU must have a sustainable asylum system based on proportional responsibility for receiving asylum seekers. Being a member of the European Union equals having rights and obligations. Therefore, there must be economic consequences for those countries not taking their proportional responsibility. A sustainable migration system based on a shared responsibility will benefit the whole EU.