Recommendations to Malta and Estonia for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Recommendations to Malta and Estonia for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union
UNHCR, 30 Dec 2016
URL: http://www.refworld.org/docid/586520344.html
The Republic of Malta and the Republic of Estonia will successively hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in 2017 in a challenging context. In 2015, over one million refugees and migrants undertook dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea in search of
safety. The capacity of EU Member States and the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) to respond to the situation was severely tested. Fragmented responses emerged amongst EU Member States. Some took measures to restrict access of refugees and migrants to their territories and to shift the responsibility to neighbouring countries. Although several made efforts to welcome refugees, the lack of a common EU response led to seemingly intractable policy dilemmas. This resulted in serious operational difficulties, exacerbating the already precarious circumstances under which refugees and migrants arrived in the EU. To address some of these shortcomings, the European Commission has proposed an extensive agenda to reform the CEAS.
The joint 18-month program of the Dutch, Slovak and Maltese Presidencies, as well as Malta’s own Presidency priorities, set out ambitious objectives including as regards the roll-out of the European Agenda on Migration’s comprehensive approach. Based on these objectives, and taking into account the context in which both Malta and Estonia will assume the Presidency of the Council, notably the CEAS reform process, UNHCR wishes to suggest four priority areas for the Presidencies to ensure concrete results throughout their respective tenure. UNHCR stands ready to support both Presidencies in implementing the recommendations proposed under these priority areas.
The present recommendations should be read together with UNHCR’s “Better Protecting Refugees in the EU and Globally”, which sets out the organization’s proposals for the EU, as well as with UNHCR’s forthcoming more detailed comments on the European Commission’s proposals to reform the CEAS.
safety. The capacity of EU Member States and the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) to respond to the situation was severely tested. Fragmented responses emerged amongst EU Member States. Some took measures to restrict access of refugees and migrants to their territories and to shift the responsibility to neighbouring countries. Although several made efforts to welcome refugees, the lack of a common EU response led to seemingly intractable policy dilemmas. This resulted in serious operational difficulties, exacerbating the already precarious circumstances under which refugees and migrants arrived in the EU. To address some of these shortcomings, the European Commission has proposed an extensive agenda to reform the CEAS.
The joint 18-month program of the Dutch, Slovak and Maltese Presidencies, as well as Malta’s own Presidency priorities, set out ambitious objectives including as regards the roll-out of the European Agenda on Migration’s comprehensive approach. Based on these objectives, and taking into account the context in which both Malta and Estonia will assume the Presidency of the Council, notably the CEAS reform process, UNHCR wishes to suggest four priority areas for the Presidencies to ensure concrete results throughout their respective tenure. UNHCR stands ready to support both Presidencies in implementing the recommendations proposed under these priority areas.
The present recommendations should be read together with UNHCR’s “Better Protecting Refugees in the EU and Globally”, which sets out the organization’s proposals for the EU, as well as with UNHCR’s forthcoming more detailed comments on the European Commission’s proposals to reform the CEAS.