The European Parliament has ratified significant changes to asylum protocol, further securing the boundaries of the bloc following years of standstill on the issue.
Included in these changes are actions to hasten verdicts on certain asylum applications, increase detainee numbers within border facilities and permit nations to offer financial compensations as an alternative to accepting asylum seekers.
The agreement’s objective is to distribute the responsibility more evenly, providing aid to Southern European Union nations traditionally overwhelmed by the number of asylum seekers entering Europe. Each rejected asylum seeker equates to a financial contribution of €20,000 from other countries, providing financial support to nations housing asylum seekers.
The reform was first recommended by the European Commission in 2020, although its origins go back to asylum policy modification attempts started in 2016.
During an intense voting meeting on Wednesday, the European Parliament members (MEPs) gave their approval to the ten bills forming the migration pact, previously debated with the commission.
The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the moderate Renew Group, and the centre-left Socialists & Democrats (S&D) were all in support of the changes. The previous days witnessed vigorous lobbying, as the three largest parliamentary groups tried to secure approval for the deal.
The Left and Green parties opposed the measures, stating they were regressive, while the far-right denounced it as not being comprehensive enough.
Ylva Johansson, the EU commissioner for home affairs, spoke during the discussion and told parliament that the vote was a “make or break decision” and the reforms would collapse if not all components of the pact were approved.
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil MEPs approved of the agreement, while those in the Left faction, including Clare Daly and Luke Ming Flanagan were against it. Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus stated his opposition to the majority of the pact, as did Grace O’Sullivan, a Green party MEP.
Sophie in ‘t Veld, a Renew MEP from the Netherlands, stated her support for most of the package but raised “legitimate doubts and concerns” about certain aspects, openly expressing her mixed feelings about the outcome.
Jorge Buxadé, a MEP from Spain representing the right-wing Vox party, expressed support for efforts to strengthen the EU’s asylum seekers database for improved scrutiny. However, he voiced concerns that the overall blueprint lacked adequate provisions for deportations. Jordan Bardella, an MEP and head of the French National Rally party, held a right oriented stance, stated that the Identity and Democracy group wouldn’t vote in favour of the agreement as it wouldn’t stem the influx of asylum seekers into the EU.
Saskia Bricmont, a Belgium based Green MEP, warns that the pact could strengthen the far-right’s position by fostering a “fortress Europe” scenario.
Amnesty International’s EU office chief, Eve Geddie, critiqued the new policy, stating it would increase the populace held in “detention” along Europe’s borders. She indicated that the evolving stance towards migration policy was continually dwindling in their standards due to a ‘race to the bottom’, as the political balance tilted towards the right.