On 12 September 2018, during his State of the Union Address, President Jean-Claude Juncker said that increased solidarity can be the solution to the increasing problem of migration. Mr. Juncker noted that we cannot find solutions just when a new ship arrives.
Jean-Claude Juncker presented 3 new proposals to ensure full EU solidarity on migration and better protection of Europe’s external borders. These new initiatives intend to facilitate an overall compromise on the ongoing reform of the EU’s asylum system and are the following:
- A fully equipped European Border and Coast Guard;
- A reinforced Asylum Agency;
- A stronger and more effective European return policy.
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They also set a new level of ambition for the European Border and Coast Guard and the EU’s Agency for Asylum, reinforcing both to make sure that Member States can rely on full EU operational support at all times. The Commission also proposed improvements to the effectiveness of return procedures, updating existing EU rules on return, and establishing the next steps on legal migration.
Progress has already been made to the overall work to reform the Union’s Common European Asylum System. The efforts of the past two years mean that 5 out of the 7 proposals tabled by the Commission in 2016 are close to being finalised.
According to the Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU will now follow stronger ruler to ensure a better return system across the continent.
Today we offer more Europe where more Europe is needed by maximising EU support on border and migration management. From now onwards, the European Border and Coast Guard and the future EU Agency for Asylum will be able to ensure EU solidarity on the ground at all times, in all situations, whilst fully respecting Member States’ competences.
