Jordi Solé speaks out against the new Migration pack.

EFA Group President, Jordi Solé intervened in plenary to explain his concerns regarding the new European Migration Pack and the worrying policies presented. 

 

The new Migration Pack's first draft, which was approved earlier this month, is still in the early stages but already raises alarms amongst NGOs and progressive parties, who are concerned about the inhumane approach this first draft is taking.

 

"The Council’s recently agreed position on migration and asylum is worrying, to say the least."

 

"It shows a bias towards the most narrow-minded attitudes regarding migration", he said.

 

The proposal sent by the Council is currently being debated in Parliament before it starts its trialogue procedure with the Commission, and then the proposal will be voted on in Parliament.

 

This draft proposal includes policies such as mandatory border controls with lower procedural guarantees than the current ones, families or unaccompanied migrant children won’t be exempt from those tougher procedures.

 

"It would normalize the detention of migrants in closed facilities at the external borders for months, including families with children."

 

"The much-needed solidarity between Member States translates into the possibility of paying for not relocating, that is, for not assuming responsibility." He added.  

 

One of the proposals also includes the possibility of rejecting migrants and asylum seekers by paying a compensation of 20.000 euros per person.

 

The Catalan MEP is concerned regarding the economic compensation and the message this sends. He worries about the lack of solidarity these proposals will bring, and debates whether those 20.000 euros would have a better purpose in other fields, for example, in the country where the migrants are coming from.

 

"European solidarity faces a resounding failure."

 

"In the coming weeks and months, we need to vehemently defend the agreements of this parliament. They still fall short, but they are for sure closer to our fundamental values than those coming from the Council." Solé concluded.