During the EP plenary session (13-16 November 2017) in Strasbourg, MEPs discuss winter plans for asylum seekers. Statements y Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Elissavet VOZEMBERG-VRIONIDI (EPP, EL), Elena VALENCIANO (S&D, ES), Sophia IN'T VELD (ALDE, NL) and Jean LAMBERT (Greens/EFA, UK).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

VOZEMBERG-VRIONIDI, Elissavet (EPP, EL)

LAMBERT, Jean (Greens/EFA, UK)

VALENCIANO, Elena (S&D, ES)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

AVRAMOPOULOS, Dimitris (EL, EC)

Winter plan for asylum seekers: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, We cannot have a repetition of last year, these shocking images of last year must not return. Effective solutions must be immediately found.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Additional pre-fabricated units should be transferred from the mainland where possible. The Commission has also been calling for the creation of appropriate reception facilities, including close facilities on the (Greek) islands.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, The continuous implementation, full implementation, of the EU-Turkey statement is key for the situation on the islands to improve. Again, let me repeat, continuous support and timely delivery from all partners, national authorities, Commission, EU agencies, UNHCR, IOM and other implementing partners on the ground is essential.

SOUNDBITE (Greek), Elissavet VOZEMBERG-VRIONIDI (EPP, EL), We are verging on a humanitarian crisis right now so I am calling on the Commission to immediately, right now, introduce and extraordinary plan to support the islands because otherwise we are going to face conditions which are going to be very very difficult to cope with.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Elena VALENCIANO (S&amp;D, ES), Have you realized how cold it is in Strasbourg? Well, imagine you and your family spending the night in a tent prepared for summer rather than winter, and that&rsquo;s going to be your reality for the entire winter for one year, maybe two years. That is the hard punishment which by the actions of some and the inaction of others, Europe is imposing on human beings whose only sin is their desire to survive.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (ALDE, NL), Are we seriously saying that there is a practical problem for 500 million citizens in the EU to somehow provide decent shelter to a few thousand people? Honestly? It is an absolute disgrace! And all the talks about deals with unsavoury regimes, that&rsquo;s just escapism, distracting from what should really be done.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jean LAMBERT (Greens/EFA, UK), I also want to add my voice to others that have talked about the importance of relocation, especially from the Greek islands to the mainland and that we have to get rid of this sort of agreement with Turkey that keeps people stuck on the islands, puts additional pressure on the local population there and prevents real solutions happening for those people.