“Migration is a complex issue, with many facets that need to be weighed together. The safety of people who seek international protection or a better life; the concerns of countries at the EU’s external borders”, such as the Balkans, “which worry that migratory pressures will exceed their capacities” for reception (the infographic shows the number of non-EU nationals living in Europe out of 446 million EU citizens);

or the fears of some EU Member States, “which are concerned that, if procedures are not respected at the external borders, their own national systems for asylum, integration or return will not be able to cope in the event of large flows”.

All of these elements were taken into account by the European Commission in the new Pact on Migration and Asylum proposed today. Indeed, the Commission itself said in a document issued today that “the current system no longer works. And for the past five years, the EU has not been able to fix it. The EU must overcome the current stalemate”. With the new Pact, the Commission “proposes common European solutions to a European challenge. The EU must move away from ad-hoc solutions and put in place a predictable and reliable migration management system”.

Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, said: “Migration has always been and always will be part of our societies. What we are proposing today will build a long-term migration policy that can translate European values into practical management. This set of proposals will mean clear, fair and faster border procedures, so that people do not have to wait in limbo. It means enhanced cooperation with third countries for fast returns, more legal pathways and strong actions to fight human smugglers. Fundamentally” this Pact “protects the right to seek asylum”.