Joint Hearing at the BUDG/LIBE/AFET/DEVE Committees on the Budgetary implications of the current refugee and migration crisis, in the EP in Brussels.&nbsp;Opening remarks by Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR), Chiar of the BUDG Committee - Keynote speech by George SOROS, founder and Chair of Open Society foundations and statements by Eider GARDIAZ&Aacute;BAL RUBIAL (S&amp;D, ES), G&eacute;rard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE), and Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK)

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

MORAES, Claude (S&D, UK)

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

Committee on Development

Committee on Budgets

joint hearing

DEPREZ, Gérard (ALDE, BE)

ARTHUIS, Jean (ALDE, FR)

GARDIAZABAL RUBIAL, Eider (S&D, ES)

Budgetary implications of the current refugee and migration crisis: extracts from the Joint Hearing

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR), Chair Committee on Budgets , The Commission decided to re-channel funds on a constant basis, for example, they added 1 billion to the 2016 budget just for the re-allocation of refugees using flexibility instruments to do so. Now these additional mechanisms created outside of the European budget will help the situation of refugees. We've got the Trust Fund MADAD (The EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian crisis) for Syria with more than 700 million euros to date, a trust fund for Africa more than 2 billion euros, the facility of refugees in Turkey 3 billion euros over 2 years and without a doubt additions to that will be made.

SOUNDBITE (English), George SOROS, Founder and chair Open Society Foundations, Four million people petitioned parliament to hold a second referendum, by the time the Parliamentary debate on this petition takes place, it is not unconceivable that more people will have signed the petition than voted for Brexit.

SOUNDBITE (English), George SOROS, Founder and chair Open Society Foundations, the referendum has highlighted for people in Britain just what they stand to loose by leaving the EU, if this sentiment spreads to the rest of Europe, what seemed like the the inevitable disintegration of the EU could instead create positive momentum for a stronger and better Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), George SOROS, Founder and chair Open Society Foundations, The EU response to the refugee crisis was riddled with flaws even before the present turn of events. Chancellor Merkel showed great moral leadership when she opened Germany 's doors wide to refugees. Unfortunately her initiative was not well thought through, it ignored the pull factor. When the sudden influx of migrants overwhelmed the capacity of the authorities, public opinion turned against her. That is when she struck her ill-fated deal with Erdogan.

SOUNDBITE (English), George SOROS, Founder and chair Open Society Foundations, At least 30 billion euros a year will be needed both inside the EU to build effective border and asylum agencies, to ensure dignified reception conditions, fair asylum procedures and opportunities for integration.

SOUNDBITE (English), George SOROS, Founder and chair Open Society Foundations, The refugee crisis poses an existential threat to Europe. As I said before, it is the heigth of irresponsibility to allow the EU to disintegrate without utilizing all its resources. Throughout history, governments have issued bonds in response to national emergencies. When should the Triple-AAA Credit of the EU be put to use if not at a moment when the European Union is in mortal danger?

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Eider GARDIAZ&#193;BAL RUBIAL (S&amp;D, ES), What I took from your contribution this morning is that the Member States would first have to come to agreement within clusters of Member States, coming to an agreement on various different rates for certain types of tax, making a basket of these different taxes we could then come to have our own resources?

SOUNDBITE (French), G&#233;rard DEPREZ (ALDE, BE), Do you think that, given the state of public opinion at the moment, that if we say that we are going to set aside 30 billion for migrants we will be meeting the expectations of the citizens who are asking themselves at the moment what they get out of Europe?

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), Chair Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs , How do you believe that in Council we can persuade Member States to approach what Mr DEPREZ was talking about, which is the understanding that you have to maintain what many of the older generation would want which is cohesion funds and agriculture to be maintained, but an understanding that we have to solve the migration crisis collectively, without Britain?

SOUNDBITE (English), George SOROS, Founder and chair Open Society Foundations, The CAP and Cohesion funds are a burden that will need to be reduced, beacuse they also have some very negative effects.