Preserve right of asylum, UN refugee agency urges EU Council presidencies

UNHCR made the entreaty successful recommendations to France, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), and the Czech Republic, which assumes the presidency successful July.  

Although galore EU countries stay committed to planetary quality rights and exile laws and principles, 2021 saw the continuation of convulsive pushbacks of asylum seekers astatine EU borders, the bureau said, citing “increasing xenophobic governmental narratives”, arsenic good arsenic carnal and legislative barriers. 

Divisive positions and practices

Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, UNHCR’s Representative for EU Affairs, underscored that the close to question asylum indispensable beryllium preserved. 

“The EU is simply a Union based connected the regularisation of law, but we person excessively often seen divisive and politicized positions and practices that question to evade asylum obligations,” helium said. 

“Mixed movements of refugees and migrants airs challenges to asylum systems. However, these challenges ne'er warrant responses that tally antagonistic to planetary instrumentality and negate asylum obligations.” 

Comprehensive attack to migration needed 

UNHCR said a projected European Commission Pact connected Migration and Asylum, outlined successful September 2020, could determination the bloc from “an advertisement hoc crisis-driven approach” to 1 that is much comprehensive, well-managed and predictable. 

Progress connected ending pushbacks, arsenic good arsenic constitution of autarkic nationalist mechanisms to analyse them, and measures related to rescues astatine sea, specified arsenic enhanced hunt and rescue, are “urgently needed”.  

With manageable numbers of caller arrivals of refugees and migrants to Europe, present is the clip for communal action, according to the agency.  

UNHCR has urged the French and Czech Presidencies to beforehand sustainable asylum betterment and execute advancement connected cardinal issues that see intra EU solidarity, capable reception conditions, and just and accelerated asylum procedures.  

At the aforesaid time, dignified returns for radical wishing to spell backmost to their countries of origin, oregon for those recovered not to beryllium successful request of planetary protection, are arsenic crucial. 

‘Recommit to solidarity’ 

In the lack of statement connected a communal EU asylum framework, UNHCR fears further “detrimental practices” volition arise, including proposals to outsource asylum obligations to different countries.  

 At a clip erstwhile the fig of forcibly displaced radical successful the satellite is astatine an all-time high, erstwhile humanitarian needs are increasing, and crucially, erstwhile numbers of arrivals to the EU stay manageable, it is indispensable for the EU to recommit to solidarity – towards people, betwixt states and with countries that big the bulk of refugees,” said Mr. Vargas Llosa.  

“No substance however precocious barriers – carnal and legislative – whitethorn be, hopeless radical volition question ways to scope safety”, helium continued. “Managing borders, sharing work and respecting quality rights are compatible”.