Meeting of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on the situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic EU approach to migration, in the EP in Brussels. Statements by Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), Rapporteurs, Miguel &Aacute;ngel MORATINOS, Former Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister, Malin BJ&Ouml;RK (GUE/NGL, SE) and William L. Swing , International Organization for Migration

Brussels

exchange of views

meeting

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

KYENGE, Cécile Kashetu (S&D, IT)

BJÖRK, Malin (The Left, SE)

MORATINOS, Miguel Ángel (ES)

The situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a holistic EU approach to migration: extracts from the exchange of views on the strategy on cooperation with third countries

External shot of EP building (Brussels). 1 shot.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Rapporteur, "Attacking trafficking networks may be necessary but it cannot be the be-all and end-all of the external dimension, agreed upon by Member States. And if they can, as I said in plenary last week, agree on launching a welcomed military naval action then I hope that they will also agree on the need to address every other aspect of migration."

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Rapporteur, "It is heartbreaking to read stories of survivers who have gone looking for protection only to reportedly be told that there's nothing that can be done until they reach Europe".

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), Rapporteur, "No immediate response, as ambitious and forward-looking as it may be, can produce radical change in the European migration policy. A long-term comprehensive vision is required, one not of a military but of a political and diplomatic nature."

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Kashetu KYENGE (S&amp;D, IT), Rapporteur, "85% of refugees live in the in South. Europe and all other developed countries take only 14% of all recognised refugees in the world. A continent of more thatn 500 million people, that consists of the most industrialised nations of the world. If Europe doesn't act toghether, then no Member State on its own will contribute with their fair share to deal with this unstoppable phenomenon."

SOUNDBITE (English), William L. Swing , International Organization for Migration, "Migration is not a problem to be solved. It is a reality to be managed. And, if we don't manage it, it will end up managing us."

SOUNDBITE (English), William L. Swing , International Organization for Migration, "We welcome the new EU agenda on migration as a good initial first step, a first step in what is a somewhat longer journey. We are particularly welcoming the top priority that the European Union is now assigning to saving life, a position that we have long pressed for, because if you save life there are many alternatives among reasonable people".

SOUNDBITE (English), William L. Swing , International Organization for MIgration, "Large scale migration is going to remain a megatrend of our century. I'll be long gone, so I can't be proved wrong on that but that's my thesis. I believe that we're talking about demography with an ageing North, in need of jobs to be filled, a youthful South, with a turgid job creation, which means that the push factors are will be every bit as trong as any pull factors."

SOUNDBITE (English), William L. Swing , International Organization for Migration, "The 20,000 quota is commendable, we're glad for it, but it's modest, needs to be expanded and I know that that already itself has caused some controversy, I believe, among the Member States. But it's a step in the right direction. It needs to go much, much further."

SOUNDBITE (English), William L. Swing, International Organization for Migration, "We must find a way to change the migration narrative. It is toxic at present."

SOUNDBITE (English), William L. Swing, International Organization for Migration, "You gotta get to the stereotypes. What are they: 'they're coming to take our jobs, they'll probably bring a disease into the country, there's probably a criminal element in there - and now, of course, there's Charly Hebdo -, they're probably terrorists'. Terrorists don't take smuggler boats, they have other means to get in, probably in business class."  

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Miguel &#193;ngel MORATINOS, Former Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister, "Modestly, the Spanish government succeeded to have every day 5,000 people coming to the Canary Islands and (bring it) to zero arrivals in 2009-2010. Zero arrivals and not only due to the economic crisis, no, because we had co-responsibility from the Senegalese government, we had co-responsibility from the Gambian government, we had co-responsibility from the Maroccoan government."

SOUNDBITE (English), Malin BJ&#214;RK (GUE/NGL, SE), "Instead of saving lives we come up with an agenda that basically focuses on keeping people away."

SOUNDBITE (English), William L. Swing, International Organization for Migration, "I hope under the new European Migration Agenda that they will get the assets to patrol further than just 35 miles off the Italian coastm which doesn't quite do it, 'cause the migrants lose their lives in the deep blue."