The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on Hungary and Belgium to conclude a migration and asylum agreement to ensure the proper implementation of norms protecting the human rights of people seeking asylum in European Union countries. .
UNHCR’s call comes as both countries hold rotating presidencies for this year’s Council of the European Union, with Belgium holding the first half (January to June) and Belgium the second half (July to December). SchengenVisainfo.com reports that Hungary will serve as the official.
In a press release, UNHCR underlined the importance of properly implementing reforms aimed at safeguarding the rights and protection of people seeking asylum in the EU.
UNHCR hopes that this agreement will be a step in the right direction to implement this very aspect, thereby bringing the agreement into its final and critical stage and encouraging all Member States to take action. We call on the EU Presidency to mobilize the necessary political will.With courage for refugees.
While acknowledging that migration is complex, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in September 2020 that all EU member states should be the same when it comes to immigration as part of efforts to better manage it. He proposed a new EU treaty that would establish clear rules to ensure shared responsibility. Migration situation.
After three years of negotiations, on 20 December 2023, the European Parliament and the European Council reached a political agreement on the Migration and Asylum Agreement. This agreement consists of her five main proposals of agreement:
- Examination regulations
- eurodac regulation
- Regulations regarding asylum procedures
- Asylum Immigration Management Regulations
- Crisis and force majeure regulations
Then-President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the political agreement reached by the Parliament and the Council, saying Europe is a strong community and can find great answers to big challenges.
Once the European Parliament and the European Council formally approve these proposals, key elements of the new Migration and Asylum Pact will be established. Detailed legislation will then be adopted and the Commission will assist member states in introducing the new rules into their national laws.
UNHCR believes that the Migration and Asylum Agreement could serve as the basis for building a globally well-coordinated approach to asylum and migration in the region.
However, the InfoMigrants report said authorities have stressed the need to implement the agreement with sufficient safeguards to ensure its effectiveness.
We cannot continue to engage in dangerous behavior such as denying access to territory or rejecting people..
The number of people illegally entering the EU in 2023 was the highest since 2016, according to figures provided by the European Border and Coast Guard Frontex.
A total of 355,300 irregular border crossings were detected on the EU’s main migration routes in the first 11 months of last year, more than the overall number in 2022, according to Frontex statistics.
The Central Mediterranean is the most used route for migration, with more than 152,200 detections reported by national authorities in the first 11 months of last year. This is the highest total on this route for this period since 2016.