The European Parliament has recently endorsed the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum following extensive negotiations initiated in 2020 involving the Commission, Council, and Parliament. This new accord, consisting of ten regulations, introduces expedited border procedures for asylum seekers from designated safe countries and establishes a mandatory "solidarity mechanism" among member states, involving migrant relocation through a quota system. However, this mechanism is contentious as states can opt out of reception obligations by contributing to a common return fund or deploying resources to countries facing migration crises. Despite parliamentary approval, the pact has faced criticism from over fifty non-governmental organisations, branding it 'ill-conceived, costly, and cruel', with Amnesty International cautioning it could regress European asylum laws by decades.
This pact has sparked intense debate due to concerns it could lead to increased detentions at EU borders, affecting vulnerable individuals and children, while reducing asylum seeker protections. This comes under escalating migratory pressures, evidenced by a significant rise in sea rescues and asylum requests. Despite support from Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson as a measure against populist extremism, legal experts and NGOs argue the pact is inadequate, failing to address critical challenges including perilous sea crossings resulting in the loss of thousands of lives. Approval of this regulation puts families, including young children, at risk of prolonged detention. The vote on this agreement not only undermines the asylum rights of children and families in Europe but also exposes them to the peril of detention, refoulement, and border abuses. No rights only walls.
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