Migration: Member States must stick to their commitments

28.09.2016 12:12

Migration: Member States must stick to their commitments

“Solidarity between EU Member States and closer cooperation is still needed to carry out the relocation of migrants as soon as possible”, stated Esteban González Pons MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group responsible for Legal and Home Affairs, following the European Commission’s presentation of the progress made on the relocation and resettlement scheme and the state of play of the EU-Turkey Implementation in the framework of the European Agenda on Migration.

“It is also important to step up efforts to streamline and improve the process of application for asylum. Moreover, the information available shows that the agreement between the EU and Turkey is working, so it is key that both sides remain committed to it”, added the EPP Group Vice-Chairman.

The slow progress showed by the latest figures, one year after the entry-into-force of the relocation schemes, is a real example of how European solidarity could work, believes Eliza Vozemberg MEP, Vice- Chairwoman of the EPP Group’s Legal and Home Affairs Working Group. She stressed that the EU must move faster in order to relocate asylum seekers around the EU and relieve pressure on frontline countries such as Greece: ”The Member States must keep their commitment to take a fair share of responsibility in the refugee crisis. Though latest figures show a slight improvement in the situation, it is still disappointing that only around 5000 asylum seekers have relocated out of the 160,000. Moreover, the EU-Turkey Agreement is being applied and is delivering concrete results, but we also have to work more on it", concluded Vozemberg.

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 215 Members from 27 Member States

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