This morning the European Movement International, supported by a cross-party coalition of MEPs, sent an open letter on Migration to Commissioner Avramopoulos. In the letter the Movement urges the Commissioner to table determined and effective proposals in the context of the European Agenda on Migration to be presented later this month. The solutions offered should enable the EU to address the challenges Europe faces in a collective manner.

The Movement notes that migration offers opportunities for a continent characterised by demographic decline and with labour markets in need of skilled workers. Concrete proposals put forward include:

• Readjusting the Blue Card regulation’s strict requirements and ensuring a transparent and equal application across Europe.
• Reforming the Dublin regulation into a permanent and binding mechanism that ensures the fair sharing of responsibility to host asylum seekers.
• Recognising that refugees and asylum seekers are, first and foremost, human beings and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect by ensuring access to legal asylum procedures and social protections for all.

Speaking on the issue, Jo Leinen MEP, President, European Movement International, said:

“The uncoordinated way EU Member States are responding to the influx of a large number of migrants and refugees has not only put one of the fundamental rights of European citizens, free movement, at risk, but has also led to degrading conditions in various refugee camps. Europe has to tackle this situation collectively and in the spirit of solidarity, sharing the responsibility and burdens of this extraordinary situation while, at the same time, channelling the resilience, inventiveness and hope of its newest arrivals towards combatting its demographic decline and shortage of skilled labour.”

[ENDS]

Notes to the Editors
1.The European Movement International (EMI) is one of the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisations with currently more than 75 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions. www.europeanmovement.eu
2.Read the open letter here.