Cross-party backing for EU Conference on Syrian refugee crisis
Following the ALDE Group’s appeal to the European Union to convene a major humanitarian Conference on the Syrian refugee crisis and to offer refugees a temporary access to the EU last 12 September 2013, the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) adopted a resolution today. This text is proposing to both the EU and Member States concrete measures on how to tackle the flow of refugees.ALDE Group President Guy Verhofstadt said: “I welcome the cross-party support in the LIBE committee for our proposal for a European humanitarian conference on the Syrian refugee crisis. It is paramount that the European Union takes leadership in alleviating the plight of the Syrian people “. On Tuesday 8 October, Guy Verhofstadt will present, during his regular press conference in Strasbourg, an outline for the European humanitarian conference on the Syrian refugee crisis, defining its objectives and expectations for such an event.
ALDE spokesperson in LIBE and Parliament’s rapporteur on the Dublin Regulation for a fairer distribution of asylum seekers between Member States Cecilia Wikström (Folkpartiet, Sweden), said: “Member States have instruments at their disposal if the situation were to deteriorate, such as the Temporary Protection Directive. No Member State can be excused from reaching out to Syrian refugees, given their capacity and their tools. It is a matter of solidarity and humanity”.
The number of Syrian refugees asking for protection in Europe is modest compared to refugees present in the neighbouring countries. Countries like Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq are already under an unbearable pressure due to the accelerating exodus of refugees from Syria. Mrs Wikström stressed: “Money alone is not enough to stop the severity of the ongoing human suffering. Granting temporary protection to refugees fleeing the conflict is the way forward if we really want to contribute to the Syrian refugees humanitarian assistance. The EU legislation already provides instruments to grant humanitarian visa, such as the Visa Code and Schengen Borders Code. Some EU countries, like Germany and Sweden, are already showing the way”.
Marietje Schaake (D66, Netherlands), ALDE member in the Foreign Affairs Committee said: “As the number one donor of humanitarian assistance, the European Union should have a keen interest in ending the Syrian refugee crisis. We must urgently address the dramatic humanitarian situation and prevent regional spill-over and a destabilisation within the neighbouring countries. A conference should also focus on increasing the diplomatic role of the EU to help end the civil war in Syria”.
“The EU must start playing a more prominent and strategic role by acting as a global actor in the diplomatic initiatives to end this conflict”.
This resolution will be voted by the full House during next week’s plenary session.