On 23rd September 2020, the Commission presented  5 new legislative proposals under the so called “Asylum and Migration Pact”, promising falsely a new start in European migration policies. In reality, the Pact reinforces current failed policies by focusing on deterrence, containment of people fleeing in third countries, strengthening of the external borders of the EU, detention of people, and acceleration of procedures at the borders at the expenses of the right to a fair and individual procedure. It also maintains the principle of responsibility of the Member State of first entry.

Left MEPs reacted to these proposals by deconstructing the narrative of the Commission and making counterproposals aiming at putting dignity and human rights at the core of EU asylum and Migration policies. 

A year after, while the legislative work has started in the Parliament and the Council, it appears these proposals are not sufficiently debated at national level.  Yet, governments have been taking positions at Council level and we can expect negotiations to speed up with the current instrumentalisation of the situation of Afghanistan to justify the need for such proposals. This strategic initiative aims at having a strategic discussion between Left MEPs, MPs and CoE Left members about the current state of play, the issues at stake, and coordinating our fight against these proposals and our call for alternatives at national and European level.

Interpretation: Spanish, German, French, Greek, Italian, Swedish, Portuguese

Programme

Tuesday 28th September 9.30-13.00

9.30: Introduction and  overview of the current state of play by Cornelia Ernst, co-coordinator of The Left Strategic WG on Migration (MEP, Die Linke, Germany)

9.40-10.45: Key issues at stake 

• “Overview of the key issues at stake” Catherine Woolard, ECRE
• “The Pact in practice: what would it mean for Italy and Spain?” Sara Prestianni, Euromed rights
• “The New Pact: current and future reality in Greece” Greek council for refugees
• “Can the proposed independent monitoring mechanism address the issue of push-backs?” Milena Zajovic, BVMN

11.15-12.45: Discussion on further cooperation against these proposals and for alternatives at national and European level

Moderator: Malin Björk, co-coordinator of The Left Strategic WG on Migration (MEP, Left Party, Sweden)

This internal meeting is upon invitation to Left Parties European, national, regional and Council of Europe members and advisers in Europe. To register, please send an email to: [email protected] by 24th September.

The meeting will be hybrid. Unfortunately, only MEPs, APAs and staff of the European Parliament will be able to attend the meeting physically due to COVID restrictions. Other participants will have to be connected virtually and be provided with an interactio link that will enable them to access also interpretation.