Explained | The ‘historic’ new pact on migrants that EU countries finalised

The European Union countries on Wednesday (Dec 20) reached an agreement on a new set of rules to manage asylum requests what are being called the ‘irregular’ migrants. Countries in the bloc have hailed the move, some calling it historic and a great success, with Hungary being a voice of dissent. In any case, The New Pact on Migration and Asylum is broadly being taken to be greater willingness within the European Union to tackle the issue of migrants, many of whom cross the Mediterranean Sea in overcrowded boats, which often are not adequately seaworthy.

As defined by the United Nations, a refugee is a person who has been ‘forced to flee’ own country due to ‘persecution, war or violence’.

“A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries, says the UN.

A migrant is someon who ‘chooses to move…mainly to improve their lives through work opportunities, education, family reunification or other reasons’.

Europe faced a huge influx of refugees around 2015 as war in Syria raged. By 2022 end, Europe hosted 1 in 3 refugees in the world (36 per cent).

The number rose from 7 million by the end of 2021 to 12.4 million by the end of 2022. 

War in Ukraine has also contributed to influx of refugees in EU countries.

Additionally, the bloc has seen huge migrant influx, especially from north Africa to EU countries, mainly Italy and Greece which are on the borders of European Union.

Statistics with the United Nations says that in 2022 alone, 159,000 people tried reaching Europe by land and sea, thousands of them perished en-route.

The flow of refugees and migrants reached a low in the year 2020. But now has seen an uptick.

The issue has assumed political colour in Europe with right-wing politicians demanding that illegal migrants be sent back to their home countries. Several of such politicians have come to power.

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Countries on the periphery of the EU, like Italy and Greece have long been complaining that they were forced manage a disproportionate share of refugees and migrants and called for other countries in the bloc to take part in managing the situation.

On Wednesday (Dec 20) the European Union countries agreed for an overhaul of migrant and asylum granting process in the bloc. The pact seeks to consider demands by EU periphery countries for a more equitable distribution of asylum seekers’ applications.

The new system will give countries that are not at EU border two options.

One, they can take in their share of 30,000 asylum applicants.

Or, they can deposit at least 20,000 euros (USD 21,870) per asylum seeker into an EU fund.

These provisions are aimed at making countries not at EU borders take part in managing the migrant issue.

In addition to this, the pact seeks to strengthen screening process which will determine who is in genuine need of asylum and who is not. The pact seeks to create uniform rules that will identify who is from an EU country and who is from a non-EU nation.

The pact also seeks to create quicker procedures to take decisions about whether a person is to be granted an asylum or he/ she is to be deported.

The pact is also aimed at creating a framework to ensure that the European Union is better prepared to tackle such a crisis should in erupt in future.

Matteo Piantedosi, Italy’s interior minister hailed the development. He said that agreement over the reforms was a “great success”. He added that frontline countries like Italy would “no longer feel alone”.

Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the agreement as “historic” and “a fair and pragmatic approach to managing migration”.

EU countries like France, Germany the Netherlands and Spain have also hailed the agreement.

Hungary however has rejected the deal. The country has been opposing having to take in irregular migrants or even pay the countries that do. Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjart said that Hungary rejects the deal in the “strongest possible terms.”

Sea-Watch, the ship rescue charity said that the EU deal “will cost more lives at sea.” The charity also said that the deal was “a bow to the right-wing parties of Europe”.

Amnesty International has also reacted. The human rights organisation has said “likely outcome is a surge in suffering on every step of a person’s journey to seek asylum in the EU”

Danish Refugee Council has said that “the EU should protect refugees — not make it harder for them”.

(With inputs from agencies)