Europparlementariërs willen dat landen vergoeding krijgen voor opvang vluchtelingen (en)
Member States volunteering to receive refugees sheltered by third countries should receive up to €6000 from the EU refugee fund per person resettled, suggested Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee on Tuesday. EU countries contribute to resettlement far less than other developed countries like the US, Australia and Canada, stressed MEPs. They also repeated their call for internal EU solidarity with Member States facing special pressures.
EU countries should receive a fixed amount of €4000 for each person resettled, according to a number of EU priorities: children and women at risk of violence or exploitation, unaccompanied minors, person with serious medical needs, survivors of violence and torture and people threatened with forced return or victims of natural disasters, said the committee.
The EU contributed to only 6.7% of the global resettlement of refugees in 2008, with 4378 individuals. The UNHCR estimates that 747,000 are in need of resettlement. As of today, only 10 Member States have taken part in any resettlement schemes.
Incentives for Member States not yet involved in resettlement
To encourage more Member States to help in resettlement, the funding should be increased to €6000 per person for the first year for Member States applying for the first time, €5000 in the second year and €4000 thereafter. The additional amount that newly participating Member States receive must be invested in developing a sustainable resettlement programme.
MEPs also say that the new EU long-term budget (2013-2017) should include specific funding for resettlement and provide financial support for a more ambitious resettlement programme.
Call for solidarity within the EU
As the need to show solidarity with third countries sheltering large numbers of refugees reflects the need to show solidarity within the EU, MEPs point out that in May 2009 Parliament called for a scheme for relocation within the EU, to help Member states facing special pressures. They say such programmes must absolutely be implemented in future.
In addition, Member States and local authorities should be informed of the benefits accruing from the resettlement of refugees, and private funding mechanisms and more widespread public-private initiatives should be promoted.
The European Asylum support Office should establish criteria for quality resettlement in cooperation with UNHCR, NGOs and local authorities. The nationalities and categories of refugees that should be prioritised should be regularly updated. The Commission will establish the common EU annual priorities for resettlement by way of delegated acts. MEPs should participate in the process, and be entitled to revoke the delegation of power to the Commission or to object to a delegated act within one month.
The legislative report drafted by Rui Tavares (GUE/NGL, PT) was approved with 40 votes in favour and two against.
A second report, also drafted by Rui Tavares and setting out a political statement on the principles that should underpin the EU resettlement programme, was adopted on Thursday 8 April by 39 votes to 4 with 1 abstention.
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
In the chair: Sophie In t'Veld (ALDE, NL)