Migrant Crisis Spiraling as Eurozone Debates New Policies
Will EU leaders institute quotas?
In early August, Europe’s migrant crisis was thrown into full relief when the French port city of Calais became overrun by migrants hoping to cross the English Channel into the United Kingdom. Thousands of migrants, coming mostly from Syria, Eritrea, Somalia and Afghanistan, crowded the port, and things quickly became dangerous.
Statistically, it is easier to remain in the UK as a refugee than it is to remain in France under the same status. Migrants from non-EU countries who stay in places like France still have access to benefits and services, but run a much higher risk of being denied permanent asylum.
Some countries, like Hungary, have taken a hard line approach to controlling how many migrants they allow within their borders. Western Eurozone leaders recently lashed out at Hungary over its continuing work to erect a fence along its southern border with Serbia, even over the demands of the Hungarian people that something—anything—be done to control the influx. Greece is having a similar problem; the flow of migrants into the already-struggling country has increased by 750% over last year’s count.
Last week’s discovery of a literal truck full of dead bodies has thrown the crisis into an even bigger spotlight, prompting the most powerful Eurozone officials to speak out against countries seeking to bar entry to refugees. 71 migrants were discovered dead in the back of an abandoned truck on a motorway between Budapest and Vienna. Authorities believe those found dead had paid a smuggler to help them make the journey into Austria, whose system for granting asylum is more pliable. Hungary, by contrast, hardly ever grants asylum—or at least, doesn’t grant asylum at a rate high enough to tempt migrants to take their chances with Budapest.
WaPo explains:
Under the rules that govern how Europe handles new arrivals, known as the Dublin Regulation, migrants can be sent back to the first E.U. nation they entered. Because its reception facilities are so bad, the rule does not apply to Greece. And some nations, including Sweden and Germany, have said they will waive the rules for Syrians.
There isn’t a uniform benefits system, either, with nations such as Hungary offering little compared with Germany and Sweden. Acceptance rates also vary dramatically. Hungary, for instance, is granting asylum to only a fraction of 1 percent of applicants, according to UNHCR. Germany, meanwhile, has a nearly 40 percent acceptance rate — and almost 90 percent for Syrians.
European nations have failed to agree on policies — such as a refugee quota for each E.U. country — that might make it easier to grant safe passage and resettlement rights to legitimate asylum-seekers while weeding out economic migrants.
Interior ministers from all 28 EU states will meet in Luxembourg on September 14 to address the current crisis. In the mean time, the debate will continue. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on other EU nations to do more to assist those seeking refuge; meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius lashed out at eastern states for taking harsher measures against the flow of migrants.
Some officials, however, see the borderless nature of the EU as having contributed to the problem:
British interior minister Theresa May blamed Europe’s borderless system, known as “Schengen”, for fuelling the crisis and demanded tighter EU rules on free movement.
“When it was first enshrined, free movement meant the freedom to move to a job, not the freedom to cross borders to look for work or claim benefits,” May said. “We must take some big decisions, face down powerful interests and reinstate the original principle.”
Some European governments are considering amending the Schengen code, but the European Commission, the EU executive which enforces it, says there is no need to change the rules, either to improve security or control migration.
In Italy which as the entry point for many migrants has been at the forefront of the crisis, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the rising death toll would push EU states to confront the problem.
“It will take months, but we will have a single European policy on asylum, not as many policies as there are countries,” he said.
Both Merkel and French President Francois Hollande are expected to propose a series of new universal regulations, including the construction of new processing centers and the institution of quotas for all EU member states. They have, however, floated the idea of creating a list of “safe countries”; those seeking asylum from those countries would be automatically turned away.
Germany has threatened to reintroduce controls at their own borders if other countries don’t fall in line with plans along the lines of those floated by Merkel and Hollande. We’ll keep you updated on the situation as it progresses.
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Comments
The country from which they came has by far the greatest duty to accept them all, in return.
One only has to consider the “no go zones” around Paris to see what is happening to traditional old Europe. Those quaint German villages will be lost if they mix in 40% Muslim survivors, who care not at all about the German heritage and traditions, or often not even about rule of law and decency.
To maintain this glorious “diversity” ideology, it is necessary to keep some separation, some commitment to hundreds of years of building these western cultures. Bringing in half of (Hillary’s) war torn Africa will tear apart great countries, no doubt a feature, not a bug, for Obama.
The same is true in the US, with even the “good illegals” emerging from a Mexico and Central America, being accustomed to tyranny and cartels. In a sense they too are fleeing and will take what they can get if allowed, at our expense.
The third world needs to be dealt with on their own soil. Obama may deliver a few solar panels for photo ops, but his policy has ruined the lives of millions, as the Muslim caliphate dominates more and more territory. And now the refugees look to “conquer” Europe with armies of needy, instead of the Muslim armies of old.
Obama seems more intent on weakening western civilization than on helping anybody. Tough choices are inevitable.
One of the biggest problems Europe has is that the officials running the EU were all appointed; not elected.
The electorates of the countries in the EU have no ability to vote themselves out of this mess, since they never voted to get into it to begin with! It was foisted upon them, by the “elites.” Sound familiar?
If I lived in the UK, I’d be for UKIP and Nigel Farage in a heartbeat. He’s one of the very few that tells the truth about the fix they’re in!
Britain had a referendum on it in 1975. Over 2/3 of voters said “yes.”
Younger Brits need to blame the boomers. This is what the majority of Brits who are now 58 and older said they wanted.
Look at what our neighbors to the North have recently done in Toronto. They have approved a 100 unit apartment building paid for with taxpayer’s money and it will be for muslims ONLY! Can we expect one for Jews and homosexuals next? Or how about whites only? Yeah right! WTF is happening up there?
The EU is heading for rough weather. First the money issues, and now this. My first impulse was to yell “Welcome to the party, pal!” McClane-style.
Here’s hoping they they find a common solution but it’s evident that at least a few countries have already said to heck with mufti-culturalism. The next issue may not be leaving the Euro but leaving the Schengen.
As for the wall in the accompanying photo, a hint; next time make the darn thing smooth, mmmkay? That wall ain’t working so well. Food for thought for the “a wall will solve everything” crowd.
good points, except the “wall will solve everything crowd” part. Is there really a crowd like that? Most know it is a multi-faceted approach, but “wall deniers” act like very functional border walls don’t exist.
Most take even Trump’s solid wall meme as representing a lot of solid wall, and a lot of men and other devices. That will be worked out. “They just buy a taller ladder” is a nonsensical rebuttal. We see them cross the first barrier, take their ladder, send them back. Maybe we even have wire on top. In time they understand our border is closed.
What concerns me more is men that make the same old promises, but insist a wall won’t work. They resist the need to stop anchor baby policy (400k/yr, 75% on welfare), and drop hint after hint that they really support some amnesty.
A lot of wall (and some double fence) reduces the manpower need. It can be done, but we know the donor class has the politicians’ ears, so when they start vacillating, we know they’re pandering to us. “The wall” means “closed”.
MR, I’ve actually seen people type, in comments about the need to “seal the border,” or “build a wall to keep ’em all out,” so there’s some of them out there.
I do agree that a layered approach -which must include enforcing existing laws- could be effective. Alas, enforcing the law may be problematic, unless conservatives embrace the suck, and use the club of withheld Federal funds on states like California who support “sanctuary” cities. I myself find the method unpleasant, as I don’t think we should blackmail states, or even redistribute funds that way. But the club is there, and I suspect it’s time we apply some of that kind of persuasion to Progressive strongholds. Sauce for the goose, and all that.
Some commenters amusingly suggest this isn’t a Muslim problem, Christians and animists want to go to Europe too!
This reminds me of an old saying;
If you’re not part of the solution …
… you’re part of Europe.
“The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.”
I would say the lamps are finally being re-lit, as many Europeans realize the threat they’re facing.
Their problem is that they have to deal with both their local progressives as well as a smothering EU bureaucracy.
This is exactly how governments fall. Merkel appears to have mental problems. She is reportedly screaming at other nations leaders. She told Cameron everyone hates him. Speak for yourself honey and keep projecting. She is not listening to anyone. She is “waiving” well established rules and standards just because she “feels” like it. If she can so can Hungary, Italy, Greece, the Czechs, etc. This is so reminiscent of the border hordes surge last summer and Obama’s orders to accommodate all of them and ignore the rules. She and her EU cronies create more chaos.