This news item shows extracts from the debate on the adoption of the Asylum and Migration package. The Parliament discusses the need for a speedy adoption of a comprehensive European pact on asylum and migration as well as current challenges in Member States. In the context of continued arrivals of refugees and migrants to the EU by sea, MEPs debate with the Spanish Council Presidency and the Commission the state of play of negotiations on the new European rules on migration and asylum.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

LAMBERTS, Philippe (Greens/EFA, BE)

asylum procedures in the EU (T)

SCHINAS, Margaritis (EPP-DE, EL, EC)

parliamentary debate

AZMANI, Malik (Renew, NL)

BISCHOFF, Gabriele (S&D, DE)

PROCACCINI, Nicola (ECR, IT)

new pact on asylum and migration (T)

NAVARRO RÍOS, Pascual Ignacio

Need for a speedy adoption of the asylum and migration package: extracts from the debate

Title: Need for a speedy adoption of the asylum and migration package: extracts from the debate (EbS) 

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Pascual NAVARRO RÍOS, Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union, The Council on several occasions has said that this is a fundamental importance if we are to guarantee in our common asylum system. If we want to respond effectively to situations such as the ones that we've seen recently in Lampedusa during the summer, we made considerable progress in our interinstitutional negotiations regarding the different parts of this pact, different proposals and as co-legislators, we are determined to move forward. We want to adopt the necessary reform of this asylum system and we want to do it by the end of this term.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, History is watching us. We must now put in place a common European migration and asylum system, one that we have been building passionately over the last three years. And we are now very close to completing a system that addresses all our difficulties, all our problems with fast procedures at the border to identify asylum or return with mandatory solidarity, helping member States under pressure, obliging all Member States to contribute according to their ability and needs.

SOUNDBITE (English), Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission, I remain convinced that the biggest incentive for illegal irregular migration, probably the biggest pull factor, is the lack of a European migration and asylum system. Loopholes in the system we have today continue to be exploited and abused by smugglers, and this will remain the case until we make a difference.

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Italy opened all ports today. The Italian government is taking in all refugees. At the same time, the French Minister of the Interior said I will not tolerate Lampedusa refugees on French land and is sending troops to the Italian border. And in Germany, NGO boats are financed, which I welcome in principle. But the German government is not worried about where the refugees who are taken in from the Mediterranean will then also be taken to. They refuse the solidarity mechanism vis-&agrave;-vis Italy. That is the hypocrisy in the discussion we are having. And we must put an end to this hypocrisy.

SOUNDBITE (German), Gabriele BISCHOFF (S&D, DE), Just because we are unable to act effectively doesn't mean that we can be outsourcing our responsibilities to Tunisia, giving them cash to solve our problems. This is completely wrong. We need to resolve our issues here and we need a migration package which is based on our values and which indicates that we can practice solidarity and manage these problems. Member States where refugees arrive have to be able to manage the problems, but those of destination likewise.

SOUNDBITE (English), Malik AZMANI (Renew, NL), A European response is needed and we need it now. In a migration pact, a crisis mechanism is foreseen. Why should we wait for the adoption of it? Why can we not anticipate, for example, implementing real EU support for the border return procedure for those who are unlikely to be granted for asylum, and to have some solidarity in the European Union towards Italy.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), A genuine pact should therefore re-establish safe routes for arrival and a fair distribution of expertise between Member States. That is the way of breaking the business model of human traffickers and the If the EU really wants to address the causes for departure, then we need to revisit our political, economic and security relations with countries of departure to make sure that these countries are liveable countries for those who are there. Dear colleagues, the way in which the EU deals with exiles at its borders is in a way an illustration of our flagrant denial of principles such as human dignity.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Nicola PROCACCINI (ECR, IT), There are some very radical theories about migration, but the reality is that we are denying one of the things which we achieved in history, which is the free movement of individuals and goods across the European Union. Two days ago, in Frankfurt, when many of us got off the plane from Italy, every single passenger was checked, including those who were coming to the European Parliament. And therefore, it is crystal clear for all to see that the Schengen borders are no more. The borders have been reinstated and we have wide open borders at the external borders.