The European Commission proposal to relocate 40,000 migrants has been watered down by EU member states reluctant to accept a mandatory mechanism. After tense exchanges, the European Council reached a minimum agreement on a one-time action with a clear rebuff to mandatory quotas. On Greece, EU leaders expect the Eurogroup to conclude the process by Saturday (June 27).
The discussion on migration was long and heated among the 28 heads of state and government.
“We have had engaged discussions,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel after the meeting, adding that “this reflects the topic.”
The most controversial words in the debate were “mandatory” or “voluntary.” Also the half sentence “in which all member states will participate” lead to greater discussions.
The latter referred to the relocation of 40,000 refugees on a voluntary basis, which in the end was only retained in principle. But not every EU country will have to participate. Hungary and Bulgaria will not take part in the scheme, taking into account that both countries are already under pressure with an increased flow of refugees crossing their borders, coming from the Balkans or Turkey.
“Since the beginning of the year one third of migrants are registered in Hungary,” Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, explained early in the morning after the long meeting. “This is more than in Italy. Our approach needs to be geographically comprehensive.”
In total 60,000 refugees, with 20,000 coming directly from outside the EU through a cooperation with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, are to be relocated or resettled through a scheme to be defined by the end of July by the EU interior ministers.
“Today’s decisions are a first step,” Tusk said.
Juncker: Europe far behind its ambitions
In May, the European Commission presented its migrant agenda which included a mandatory quota. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker did not hide his dissatisfaction with the agreement of the 28 EU leaders. (audio in French)
Click on the button to load the content from Soundcloud.
“To put it right and given the scale of the phenomenon of the migrants, I think that giving a perspective to survive to 60,000 refugees is in fact a modest effort,” Juncker said. “And that we take hours to agree on the system to apply shows obviously that Europe is not up to the ambitions it expresses on every occasion towards the outside.”
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was reported to have clashed during the meeting the leaders of some of the EU’s eastern member states, who were reluctant to accept the proposed mechanism. “If that’s the Europe you want, then you can keep it,” Renzi said, arguing that if there is no solidarity among members, then “we are wasting time.”
“I am a very calm person,” Renzi said on leaving the Council building. “In the meeting I reminded ministers of the meaning of Europe. It is not only about budgets.” (audio in French)
Click on the button to load the content from Soundcloud.
“There is one thing to do: not only should we give Europe a bureaucratic organisation, not only an economic ideal, but above all a different approach, based on values and ideals. That is our mission,” Renzi said.
He also underlined that what was decided will “not be the solution to our problems” and that he was “very happy that the word voluntary will not be in the official conclusions.”
As a consequence, the 28 member states will have to agree on a method of distributing migrants between themselves, a decision that should be made by the end of July.
With Luxembourg taking over the presidency of the European Union in July, the country will be in charge of leading the negotiations.
Click on the button to load the content from Soundcloud.
“I am the Luxembourgish prime minister, but next week I am also taking over the presidency of the EU, and so it is important to find a compromise and to build bridges, as Luxembourg has always done in the past between these 28 countries,” said Xavier Bettel before the meeting. “We are ready to take our responsibility and I am sure that others will take that too.”
But 12 hours later, Bettel seemed less optimistic. “This was a difficult meeting,” he said. “I did not think that our presidency would start with such a difficult task.”
UK stays outside relocation system
After the summit, British Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed that “the UK won’t take part in any relocation scheme, to move migrants who have already arrived across member states.”
But according to Cameron, Britain will play its part and “can hold its head up high in the world.” He referred to the aid sent to African countries and to the fact that his country is “the second largest bilateral donor in terms of helping the Syrian people at that time of need.”
Cameron also announced that the UK will take part in the resettlement programme.
According to his plans for renegotiating Britain’s role within the EU, Cameron clarified that the aimed reforms should be based on “sovereignty,” to make sure that the EU interferes less with British issues. He pleaded for an EU as “a source of growth, success rather than stagnation.”
Cameron made it clear that he will negotiate with the 27 EU members on “a substantial package of changes including treaty change that needs to be agreed before there is a British referendum.”
Greece: ‘Decisive Eurogroup’ on Saturday
Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem also attended the summit on the last night, to give European leaders the latest update on the negotiations with the Greek government. The heads of state and government discussed the topic for two hours.
“They are fully aware of the situation and potential consequences,” Tusk told the press afterwards. The leaders concluded that there was no need for another euro summit. “They expect the Eurogroup to conclude the process on Saturday,” Tusk added.
The meeting of the eurozone’s finance ministers on Saturday “is of decisive importance,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
She added that there are still points to clarify between the institutions and the Greek government.
The Greek bailout programme ends on Tuesday (June 30), the same day that Greece has to repay 1.6 billion euros to the International Monetary Fund.
- Author: Danièle Weber, Euranet Plus News Agency
