THE detention centers for migrants outside the European Union (EU) They have just been excluded from the agreement reached this Thursday by the Council of Europe. After a debate of around nine hours, the solution proposed by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni It will not appear in the text of conclusions presented by the president of the institution, Charles Michel, and his team during the night.
This could be the definitive text in which Poland’s migration concerns were reflected, after a debate recognized by European sources, It was very moving. In this sense, they emphasized that this is a sensitive issue for the vast majority of governments.
The proof is the commitment made by the participating countries to study “new paths” which allow “prevent and contain irregular migration” rather than seeking to join community soil, a formula which evokes the harder line of countries like Italy, Poland or Denmark to explore “innovative solutions” such as the creation of expulsion centers outside the Union or the punishment of third countries which do not cooperate with returns. . But for the moment, he is left aside.
“Migration is a European challenge which requires a European response. We must strengthen the implementation of our global approach”, wrote on social networks the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, to announce the agreement at the summit of 27. Among the keys, Michel underlines the need to establish alliances with countries of origin and transit of irregular migration, the fight against mafias, better control of external borders, strengthening expulsions and promoting legal entry routes.
With this commitment, the leaders respond to the call of 14 partners who, in a working document released in recent weeks, demanded to explore “innovative solutions” to tighten immigration policy. They also take note of the letter sent to them a few days ago by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen supports the need to debate new formulas stop irregular flows and ask to “learn lessons” from Giorgia Meloni model in Albania.
Precisely, the countries united under the aegis of the Italian Meloni were pressing all afternoon this Thursday to include centers for the expulsion of migrants from outside the European Union in the agreement. For example, Austria and the Netherlands have proposed Uganda or Syria as destinations, countries that are anything but safe.
Among the countries opposed to this solution, France and Spain are locatedwhile Belgium and Germany admitted their doubts. However, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz assured the media that these measures would only be “a drop in the ocean” and “not a real solution.”
In addition, the leaders granted Poland explicit reference to the role of Russia and Belarus in the conflict. “instrumentalization” of migration and how “they cannot be allowed to abuse values, including the right to asylum, and undermine (EU) democracies”; This is why they express their commitment to confronting it.
Likewise, the final text of the conclusions also underlines “the importance of implement adopted European legislation and apply existing legislation”, a formula which replaces the explicit references which appeared in the first draft and subsequently declined to the need to accelerate the application of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, as requested by Spain.
The leaders also call on the European Commission to present “urgently” a new proposal to revise the Returns Directive and call for measures “at all levels to facilitate, increase and accelerate” expulsions.
Sánchez from Brussels
For his part, the Spanish president and during a post-debate conference once again rejected migration management models like that of Italy because in his eyes “They don’t solve problems or create new ones.” In this sense, he assured that Spain is committed to a “vision much more focused on the external dimension” of the migratory phenomenon, by strengthening cooperation with countries of origin and strengthening the security of its borders, as well as greater coordination of countries. original.
Furthermore, he supported a “positive approach” to strengthening regular, legal and well-ordered migration, which is “the response to the demographic challenge” of Spain and Europe as a whole. Sánchez insisted on the need not to lose sight of “humanity” in the management of migration, because the principles of the European Union are based on it and the definition of “the Europe we want to be” depends on it. .
In line with the issues discussed at the European Council, he reiterated the support for the Ukrainian people“on all fronts and for as long as necessary”as well as the need to stop arms exports to Israel and recognize the Palestinian state for those who have not yet done so.
