Amendments proposed to the Directive 2013/32/EU on asylum seekers largely took on a nationalist approach to protecting member states’ borders at the expense of the refugees.
The first day of deliberations which took place in Rome saw seven countries propose to amend five parts of three articles, the greatest support for the most number of amendments that day.
One of the articles proposed for amendments by these countries was for Art.43. It was proposed by three of the four Visegrad countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia), Romania,Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus. These countries called for the external borders of the Schengen area to be increased by “using military and navy forces in assessing asylum applicants.”
Slovakia defended these countires’ proposals saying that “yes we respect humanitarian law” but the borders also need to be protected. This came in the wake of the discovery of the exploitation of 120 female asylum seekers working at a metallic industrial complex in Bratislava, Slovakia.
These countries also want to add a new Art.35 that will guarantee member states that are transit-zone countries for refugees greater protection. This increased protection is to be funded by the EU budget.
Earlier during the morning session, Romanian Minister,Christopher Wignall had tried to initate a motion to discuss this very issue but was shut down.
Lastly, V4 and her allies also proposed an amendment to Art.13.2 by adding another obliglation for asylum applicants in terms of what the member state may require from them. Part (g)-the proposed addition-if passed would prohibit asylum seekers from leaving the member state while “their application is being processed.”
The first amendment for instance was sponsored by Denmark, Austria and Estonia. It is to be made to Art.43 whereby they want to add that “the control of the external border” to “be ensured by a sovereign authority of the European Union that has to be determined. Within two years this amendment shall be put into force.” In its current state, Art.43 talks of member states’ can or cannot do at the border and transit zones in as far as application admissability, time frame for application admissability and the consequence if it is not reached and how to handle “arrivals involving a large number of third- country nationals or stateless persons lodging applications for international protection at the border or in a transit zone”.
Taking place in Rome, Italy,most of the amendments sought assistance from the European Union when it came to controlling and securing their borders caused by the influx of refugees seeking asylum intheUnion.
Still on Art.43, Greece, Denmark and Slovenia proposed to make the following changes. They want to add that “The member states establish to create a commission composed by experts that in the next 4 months will elaborate an index as a guideline”. This commission is meant to monitor the situation in each member state regarding its refugee issues. This commission is also meant to act as a “guideline for a future common procedure on redistribution.”
On a more EU-friendly stance, Hungary, The Netherlands and Denmark proposed an addition to Art.43 which would see member states “share all the refugees’ data in the European Union, especially the external border countries”.
The countries justify this amemndment as a way of helping “to enhance safety, cooperation and better identification of refugees”.
By Silvia Mwendia
for The European Chronicle
Sapienza moves to debate 