How the European Union's migration policy is broken

Into Europe
30 Oct 202110:27
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe European Union's migration policy has faced criticism for being insufficiently strict, humane, and fair. Established in 1995 with the Schengen area, the policy facilitated free movement within Europe but also increased irregular migration. The Dublin Convention aimed to address this by making the first EU country of arrival responsible for migrants' asylum claims. However, the 2015 migration crisis exposed flaws, such as uneven distribution of migrants, low return rates, and incentives for countries to bypass rules. Solutions proposed include strengthening border controls, a 2020 migration pact emphasizing mandatory solidarity, and establishing migrant processing centers outside the EU. The debate is divided among pro-migration, anti-immigration, and border country factions, with each advocating different approaches. The crux of the issue remains the lack of a unified system for managing migration, which continues to impact EU politics and the welfare of migrants.

Takeaways
  • 🌐 The European Union's migration policy has been criticized as not strict, humane, or fair enough, and it's currently broken, prompting the question of whether it can be fixed.
  • 📜 The policy's roots date back to 1995 with the Schengen area's establishment, which allowed for free movement across the EU but also facilitated the movement of non-EU individuals.
  • ✅ There are three types of migration under the Schengen agreement: free movement by EU member states, those with legal documents like visas, and irregular migration by those without documents.
  • 👥 The Geneva Convention provides refugee status to those with a well-founded fear of persecution, but economic migrants are not eligible for asylum.
  • 🏠 The Dublin Convention (now Dublin III) assigns responsibility for migrants to the first EU country they arrive in, which has led to an uneven distribution of migrants and responsibilities.
  • 📈 The 2015 migration crisis exposed flaws in the system, particularly the lack of solidarity among EU countries, difficulties in returning migrants, and the incentive for countries to bypass rules.
  • 💡 Solutions proposed include strengthening the European Border and Coast Guard, a mandatory solidarity approach, and the creation of migrant processing centers outside the EU.
  • 🚫 The EU has faced challenges in dealing with migration, including human rights abuses in countries like Libya and political blackmail from countries like Morocco and Turkey.
  • 🤔 The debate on migration is divided among pro-migration, anti-immigration, and border country factions, each with different views on the issue and potential solutions.
  • 🏛️ Denmark's proposal to open migration centers in Rwanda and Greece's implementation of closed-off migration centers are examples of individual countries taking initiative to address the crisis.
  • 📊 The EU's stance on migration is hardening, with potential solutions like those in Greece and Denmark gaining acceptance, reflecting changing sentiments post-2015 crisis.
  • ⚖️ A unified system for receiving, processing, admitting, and returning migrants across the EU is essential to alleviate suffering, resolve political division, and prevent the use of migration as a threat to the EU.
Q & A

  • What was the main reason for the creation of the Schengen area in 1995?

    -The Schengen area was created to eliminate border checks between some EU countries, allowing for free movement across the continent.

  • What are the three types of migration under the Schengen system?

    -The three types of migration are: 1) migration from people coming from member states of Schengen who can move around freely, 2) people coming from outside the EU but having documents such as a visa or work/residency permits, and 3) irregular migration for those who enter the EU without the necessary documents.

  • What is the Geneva Convention's stance on granting refugee status?

    -The Geneva Convention grants refugee status to migrants with a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, or membership of a particular social group, making them eligible to ask for protection or asylum in a country.

  • What is 'migration shopping' and how did it arise from the EU's open internal borders?

    -Migration shopping is a phenomenon where migrants visit several countries, sometimes applying for asylum in multiple countries at the same time, and then choose the most favorable country to live in. This arose due to the EU's open internal borders, which allowed for such movement without the need for reapplying for asylum in each country.

  • What are the key responsibilities outlined by Article 13 of the Dublin Convention?

    -Article 13 of the Dublin Convention states that the responsibility for irregular migrants, including both refugees and economic migrants, lies with the country they first arrived in. This includes housing and processing their asylum applications.

  • What were the main flaws exposed by the 2015 migration crisis in relation to the Dublin system?

    -The main flaws exposed were related to solidarity, with the system ignoring the geographical burden on southern countries; issues with returning migrants, as many who did not receive asylum were not sent back; and the incentive for countries to bend rules or engage in migrant pushbacks to alleviate the pressure on their migration systems.

  • How does the EU's Border and Coast Guard Agency reinforce the management of migration?

    -The EU's Border and Coast Guard Agency, with its budget quadrupled since 2015, has a reinforced mandate to police Europe's borders, which includes preventing unauthorized entries and managing the flow of migrants.

  • What was the 2020 migration pact and why was it considered important?

    -The 2020 migration pact was a proposal that aimed to bring together all aspects of migration, including border management, screening, asylum, integration, return, and relations with external partners. It was considered important because it sought to establish mandatory solidarity among EU countries, allowing them to choose how they contribute to Europe's migration efforts.

  • What are the potential issues with establishing migrant processing centers outside of the EU?

    -Potential issues include concerns over human rights abuses in centers located in third countries, the legality and ethical considerations of processing migrants before they enter EU territory, and the possibility that such centers could be used by third countries to blackmail the EU.

  • Why is the integration of migrants a contentious issue in the EU?

    -The integration of migrants is contentious due to concerns over cultural and linguistic differences, the potential strain on social services and resources, and high-profile incidents that have fueled perceptions of incompatibility with European values.

  • What are the three main factions in the EU regarding migration policy and their general stances?

    -The three main factions are: 1) the pro-migration side, advocating for a moral obligation to help refugees and viewing migration as an economic opportunity; 2) the anti-immigration side, questioning the ability to integrate migrants and citing security concerns; and 3) the border countries, seeking support to manage the costs and challenges associated with migration.

  • How does the use of a VPN like Surfshark relate to the topic of migration and the EU's digital landscape?

    -While the use of a VPN like Surfshark is not directly related to migration policy, it is relevant to the EU's digital landscape as it allows for secure browsing, protection from online threats, and the ability to access region-restricted content, symbolizing the kind of digital freedom and security that the EU also aims to provide its citizens and migrants alike.

Outlines
00:00
🌍 European Union's Migration Policy Overview

The paragraph outlines the European Union's migration policy, addressing the challenges of arrival, housing, processing, and return of migrants. It highlights the criticisms of the policy as being insufficient in terms of strictness, humanity, and fairness. The video's sponsor, Surfshark, is introduced as a VPN provider that offers secure internet browsing and the ability to change virtual locations. The policy's roots are traced back to 1995, with the opening of the Schengen area, which facilitated free movement within the EU but also increased the ease of movement for non-EU individuals. The different types of migration under Schengen are explained, including the distinction between refugees with a well-founded fear of persecution and economic migrants seeking jobs. The paragraph concludes with the mention of the Geneva Convention's role in granting refugee status.

05:01
📜 The Dublin Regulation and Its Impact

This section delves into the specifics of the Dublin Regulation, now known as Dublin III, which assigns the responsibility of handling migrants to the EU country where they first arrive. It discusses the 2015 migration crisis, which exposed flaws in the system, particularly concerning solidarity among EU countries and the uneven burden on southern countries. The low rate of successful asylum applications and the difficulty of returning migrants who are not granted asylum are highlighted. The paragraph also touches on the economic migrants from countries considered safe by the EU and the challenges this poses for the migration policy. It outlines the various deals the EU has struck with countries like Libya, Turkey, and Morocco to curb migration and the human rights concerns arising from these agreements. The division among EU leaders on migration policy is noted, with factions ranging from pro-migration to anti-immigration, and the border countries seeking support for migration-related costs. Potential solutions, including strengthening border controls and the proposed 2020 migration pact, are mentioned. The paragraph concludes with the idea of 'outside hotspots' for processing asylum applications before entry into the EU, with Denmark and Greece taking steps in this direction.

10:04
🏛️ The Ongoing Debate and Future of EU Migration Policy

The final paragraph emphasizes the ongoing division within EU politics regarding migration and the use of migration as a tool to threaten the European Union. It reiterates the need for a comprehensive system for receiving, processing, admitting, and returning migrants across the EU. The paragraph concludes by thanking the video sponsor, Surfshark, and encouraging viewers to check out the provided link for a discount on their VPN services.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡European Union's migration policy
The European Union's migration policy refers to the set of rules and procedures that the EU has established to manage the arrival, housing, and processing of migrants. In the video, it is discussed as being 'broken' and in need of reform, highlighting its significance as the central theme.
💡Schengen area
The Schengen area is a zone comprising 26 European countries that have abolished passport and other types of border control at their mutual borders. It is central to the discussion as it allows for free movement but also complicates migration management, leading to the 'migration shopping' phenomenon.
💡Irregular migration
Irregular migration refers to the movement of people into a country without the necessary documentation or legal authorization. In the video, it is mentioned in the context of the Schengen area, where it poses a challenge due to the rights granted to refugees under the Geneva Convention and the distinction between refugees and economic migrants.
💡Geneva Convention
The Geneva Convention is an international treaty that provides a framework for the treatment of refugees. It is mentioned in the video as granting the status of refugees to those with a well-founded fear of persecution, thus playing a critical role in determining who is eligible for protection or asylum within the EU.
💡Dublin Convention (Dublin III)
The Dublin Convention, now known as Dublin III, is a set of rules that determine which EU member state is responsible for processing an asylum application. It is highlighted in the video as a key element of the EU's common European asylum system, with Article 13 being particularly significant for assigning responsibility based on the first country of arrival.
💡Migration crisis of 2015
The migration crisis of 2015 refers to a period when an unprecedented number of migrants, particularly from Syria, entered Europe, overwhelming the existing migration policies and infrastructure. The video discusses how this crisis exposed the flaws in the Dublin system and led to a reevaluation of EU migration policies.
💡Solidarity
In the context of the video, solidarity refers to the principle of shared responsibility among EU member states for handling migration. The Dublin system is criticized for ignoring solidarity, as it places a disproportionate burden on countries in the south that are the first point of entry for most migrants.
💡Migration shopping
Migration shopping is a phenomenon where migrants visit multiple countries and apply for asylum in several of them simultaneously, with the intention of choosing the most favorable country to live in. The video discusses this as a consequence of the EU's open internal borders and the Schengen area.
💡Economic migrants
Economic migrants are individuals who move to another country to seek better economic opportunities, such as jobs. The video distinguishes them from refugees, noting that they are not eligible for asylum under the Geneva Convention, yet their presence and motivations are part of the broader migration debate within the EU.
💡Border Guard Agency
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, also known as Frontex, is an agency responsible for managing the cooperation between national border guards securing the EU's external borders. The video mentions the reinforcement of Frontex as an area of consensus in the EU's approach to migration, with its budget and mandate increased since the 2015 crisis.
💡Migration pact
The migration pact refers to a proposed agreement within the EU to reform its migration policy, which would include aspects like border management, asylum procedures, and integration of migrants. The video discusses an aborted 2020 migration pact that aimed for mandatory solidarity among member states, allowing them to choose how they contribute to the EU's migration efforts.
Highlights

The European Union's migration policy has been criticized as not strict, humane, or fair enough.

The policy's roots date back to 1995 with the Schengen area's establishment, which allowed free movement but also facilitated irregular migration.

There are three types of migration under the Schengen agreement: free movement from member states, those with visas/work permits, and undocumented migrants.

The Geneva Convention grants refugee status to those with a well-founded fear of persecution, but economic migrants are not eligible for asylum.

The Dublin Convention (now Dublin III) assigns responsibility for asylum seekers to the EU country they first arrive in.

The 2015 migration crisis exposed flaws in the Dublin system, particularly the uneven burden on southern EU countries.

Central European countries refused to take refugees during the 2015 crisis, highlighting a lack of solidarity within the EU.

The EU struggles with the return of migrants whose asylum applications are denied, with a low deportation rate.

Some countries have resorted to pushbacks or bending rules to manage the migration flow.

The EU has made deals with countries like Libya, Turkey, and Morocco to curb migration, but these have raised human rights concerns.

There is a division among EU leaders on migration policy, with factions favoring pro-migration, anti-immigration, and support for border countries.

The EU has reinforced its Border Guard Agency and considered a 2020 migration pact emphasizing mandatory solidarity.

The concept of 'outside hotspots' or migrant processing centers outside the EU has been proposed to streamline asylum applications.

Denmark is exploring the establishment of migration processing centers in Rwanda, despite concerns about potential abuses.

Greece has introduced closed migration centers to improve efficiency in processing migrants.

The changing sentiments on migration in Europe suggest that potential solutions like those in Greece and Denmark are gaining acceptance.

Without a unified system for handling migration, the EU will continue to face political division and the exploitation of its migration policy.

Surfshark, the video's sponsor, is a VPN provider that offers security and privacy features, including the ability to change virtual locations.

Transcripts

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