During the plenary session (5-8 July 2021) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on Asylum and Migration: opening statements by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), rapporteur and by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs. This transcription is the result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

FAJON, Tanja (S&D, SI)

asylum procedures in the EU (T)

joint debate

JOHANSSON, Ylva (SE, EC)

new pact on asylum and migration (T)

Joint debate on Asylum and Migration: opening statements by Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), rapporteur and by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian), Tanja FAJON (S&amp;D, SI), Well, thank you very much for the floor, president, honourable commissioner, dear colleagues. Today is a very important day for Europe, a Europe with humane but safe borders, for a Europe that puts solidarity and a fair distribution of burdens in the centre of its migration and asylum policy.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), These two new funds will give the EU enough funds to convert our ambitious goals into reality and stop shutting our eyes before key challenges before us is the last step of this difficult journey of negotiations and compromises for the common good, not only for Europe, but for the society as a whole and for EU citizens.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), First of all, I would like to thank my colleagues, rapporteurs for their support and the negotiators, the commission and the two presidencies, Germany and Portugal, for a constructive approach and for the agreement we've reached.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), Over the next seven years, the EU will earmark 16 billion euro, four priority areas of border management, management and migration is nearly three times as much as in the previous period in order to protect the free movement within the Schengen area.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), We have to manage migration efficiently in order to maintain an area without controls and internal borders. We also have to manage our borders in a safe and effective way, but also in a humane way, respecting fundamental human rights. The EU will now have all the funds required to make this happen.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), We will no longer be able to hide with the EU new funds. We will be able to determine clear rules as to how to use EU money in one of the most sensitive and the most controversial, but also one of the most important policy areas in the EU in recent years.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), The migration policy, which. Fostered a lot of mistrust between European governments and between our own citizens. It is crucial that we managed to achieve this fragile but balanced, balanced compromise in the end, after the 2015 migration crisis, Europe did not manage to find effective solutions or a common answer as to how to move forward forward.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), We're still struggling to find a joint migration and asylum policy, even though we managed to achieve a big agreement in this house. But now the ball is on the side of the court of the European governments and the. Innocent became victims of these disagreements, and many have lost their lives.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), Mediterranean member states are still largely left to their own devices. The Schengen area also became one of the hostages. It has not been operating as efficiently as it used to because we have so many member states that have been conducting illegal and unjustified controls on internal borders.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), The new financial instruments that we are debating today, this two new funds address these two key challenges based on solidarity and fair distribution of burdens, especially in relation to frontline member states, the EU will earmark more funds for relocation and resettlement of refugees.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), There will be more funds made available for asylum procedures and for the integration of people into societies. And local communities will have a bigger role since we have direct financing. This will be key for success of integration.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), But on the other hand, this fund would also support the return of people to countries of origin as those who are not entitled to international protection. The other set of measures covers our border. This agreement will strengthen our capacity to manage our border in a more efficient way, and this will enhance our joint security. But borders must remain humane, digitalised and fluid.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), The same goes for our future vision policy. We need to learn something from this pandemic's. We want Europe without borders again. And despite all our efforts, European borders, especially our maritime borders, are less lethal. We must not let people die at our gates. We also need to ensure that human rights are always respected.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), Also at the border and in all border procedures. We also need to ensure that human rights are always respected and we must not let this key return, Jane return has become a way of border management. This will undermine our common migration policy.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), But this will also opened the doors for people smugglers to the European Union. Thanks to the European Parliament and thanks to our colleagues, we will have no more money made available for rescue operations at sea.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian),  Tanja FAJON (S&D, SI), But there will also be more fund funds for the modernisation and digitalisation of Board of Borders. Our message for member states is clear, we're very serious with these measures, 16 billion euro serious. We need to find solutions. We have enough funds available to implement our policy in an effective way. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Thank you, Madam President, dear Mrs Fajon, honourable members. This is an achievement, and I warmly thank you, Mrs. Tanya Fajon, the rapporteur and the shadow rapporteurs for their and your relentless efforts to conclude the negotiations with the Council on the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and on the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, There are, of course, still a lot of people in crisis. But Europe is no longer in the migration crisis. Our Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund reflect this change. We are moving away from a permanent state of emergency funding to focus on more structural support for migration management.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Still always putting people first. That doesn't change. The fund helps member states to help people, mainly by funding internal needs, but also acknowledging needs beyond the EU's external border, subject to appropriate safeguards and allowing the new instrument for neighbourhood development and international cooperation to play its role in migration management.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, This Friday, I will host a high level forum on resettlement. I want Europe to become a global leader on resettlement. Helping people in need of international protection to safety and to fund provides the financial firepower to achieve this ambition, creating and creating incentives for member states to effectively resettle people and allowing member states to organise projects to support refugees.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The fund supports legal pathways to Europe, helping talent to thrive and our businesses to prosper. The fund supports integration and inclusion by helping people to build new homes and new lives in Europe. We will work closely with other EU funds, such as the ESF plus to maximise synergies and make a real difference for people on the ground.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The fund supports also dignified returns of those not eligible for asylum that have to return to the country of origin. In short, this agreement on the fund is another important step towards a more European way of managing migration. And as the examples I just mentioned show, it will play a strategic role in the implementation of the new pact on migration and asylum.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The effective protection of the EU's external border is crucial to manage the challenges ahead. The instrument for financial support for border management and visa policy will support strong and smart borders. It will facilitate legitimate border crossings while preventing irregular migration and cross-border crime.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, It will support the good functioning of the Schengen area without internal border checks, a topic we will discuss more in the next debate and support a higher internal security level. Over the past few years, a number of measures have been introduced to address the immediate challenges and to put in place important building blocks needed to ensure strong and smart borders.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The funds will support to continue this work by ensuring that large scale I.T. systems used for border management are robust and can function seamlessly with one another and with national systems. And by ensuring that the EU's common visa policy adapts to evolving security concerns, challenges linked to migration and new opportunities offered by technological developments.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The fund will contribute to enhance the member states' capacities in these areas and reinforce cooperation and harmonisation between member states and create synergies between national authorities and Frontex. The fund will be providing for a minimum level of expenditure of 10 percent in the Common Visa Policy to ensure a harmonised approach with regard to the issuance of visas.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, This will facilitate the travel. It will also build trust by helping to ensure a similar level of protection of the borders. It will address the current differences between the member states due to geographical location and differences in capacities and resources resources available.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, The increased budget, amounting to six point three billion euros, will allow us to meet the unforeseen needs and new priorities in a better way. Our EU funds will help us to put our policies in practise, help us to manage migration and restore Schengen to free movement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, We have now seven years ahead of us to translate into actions the opportunities and support captures into these two funds. I we the commission will update you to Parliament and of course, also the council on the developments and counts on your continued support throughout the implementation period. Thank you.