RULE OF LAW. AND ORDER?

French police have dissolved the camp in Calais called the Jungle. All for the sake of the rule of law and to appease right wing populists. Most of the refugees and migrants living there have been dispatched to other parts of France. During the evacuation border controls between France and Belgium were reinforced. An “example” of the rule of law. Calais may no longer be “embarrassed” by the camp, but the problems that led so many people to flee remain. And as long as they remain, the people driven from their own countries will only be rerouted to other places*.

From a humanitarian point of view the most unacceptable aspect of this is the large numbers of bewildered unaccompanied minors in Calais who have no idea what to do or where to go. As usual NGOs and civil society organisations try to deliver the most needed emergency services. As we witness these human tragedies and see the flow of refugees merely diverted from the mainland Balkans route to the Mediterranean Sea, the claims of success by the heads of some Member States at the Bratislava summit ring hollow.

All this makes it imperative that the European Commission calls for a new migration policy in the 2017 work programme (see our first analysis). Free movement must not be touched and the saving of lives must remain the priority. New instruments will be tested on their humanitarian and social impact. The reform of the Dublin rules is inevitable and for this political majorities are needed. The EU Pillar of Social Rights shall also apply to third country nationals! It remains to be seen whether the European neighbourhood policy, trade agreements and the new development compact will really help to tackle the root causes of migration.

But the positive effects, if any, will not be immediate. In the Progressive Alliance conference last week Federica Mogherini rightly warned against pandering to populist arguments because it only strengthens them, and urged us to stand up for our convictions, against the stream. This is what SOLIDAR and members of other civil society organisations do for and with migrants and refugees: deliver help, support against all odds. Particularly in times of disorder!

*) SOLIDAR French member La ligue de l’enseignement will attend to 600 migrants who are being allocated to other places in France, providing them with decent accommodation and services.

**) Interesting read: A Calais, des migrants, mineurs et majeurs, ramenés vers la «jungle» article published on liberation.fr, 28 October 2016.

SOLIDAR STATEMENT

Commission President Juncker and Vice-President Timmermans have presented the outline of the Commission’s work programme for the upcoming year. It is built around ten priorities under the heading “Delivering a Europe that protects, empowers and defends” which might not be the most challenging title. “Better regulation, accountability and transparency continue to be the core business model of the Commission” as well as the fact that the “List of key initiatives” is the same length (namely 6 pages) as the “New REFIT actions” tells its own tale.
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SOLIDAR NEWS

Impact of the economic crisis on youth – the Youth Guarantee a new approach to tackling youth unemployment
SOLIDAR Foundation and the NOVA-Norwegian Social Research would like to invite you to their lunch-time discussion on the impact of the economic crisis on youth, and how it determines the degree of early job insecurities.
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SOLIDAR in Greece at the 2016 Euromed Summit of economic and social councils and similar institutions
The Euromed Summit was an opportunity to discuss key issues at stake for the EuroMed region, including ongoing conflicts, radicalisation and terrorism, bilateral cooperation, trade, migration, human rights and regional civil society cooperation.
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The CIVICUS Civic Space Monitor tracking violations of civil space has officially launched
The tool has been developed in collaboration with more than 20 experts representing civil society organisations all around the world, including SOLIDAR, and provides a rating of the openness of civic space and updated information about the latest developments regarding freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.
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The revision of the European Consensus on Development: What’s at stake?
Last week, SOLIDAR participated in two exchanges of views on the revision of the European Consensus on Development. On 12 October, a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) was hosted by the European Parliament co-rapporteurs on the issue, Norbert Neuser (S&D Group) and Bodgan Wenta (EPP), and on 19 October, a consultation was hosted by the European Commission’s DEVCO Director General Mr. Stefano Manservisi.
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UPCOMING EVENTS

Lunch time discussion on the ‘Impact of the economic crisis on youth – the Youth Guarantee a new approach to tackling youth unemployment’
Organised by SOLIDAR Foundation and NOVA-Norwegian Social Research in the framework of the NEGOTIATE research project
16 November 2016 | Brussels, Belgium
Registration

European pillar of social rights – Achieving upward social convergence with a rights-based approach?
Organised by SOLIDAR
06 December 2016 | Brussels, Belgium
Registration

Perspectives for decent future of today’s youth – Final conference of world of work for youth project
Organised by SOLIDAR and FIC
07 December 2016 | Brussels, Belgium
Registration