State of Play: Measures to Address the Refugee Crisis
4 Nov 2015 01:17 PM
State of Play: Measures to Address the Refugee Crisis
Updated 3 November 2015
The European Agenda on Migration adopted by the Commission in May 2015 set out the need for a comprehensive approach to migration management. Since then, a number of measures have been introduced – including the adoption of two emergency schemes to relocate 160,000 people in clear need of international protection from the Member States most affected to other EU Member States, and the endorsement of the Commission Action Plan on Return.
On 23 September, the European Commission presented a set of priority actions to implement the European Agenda on Migration to be taken within the next six months. This included both short term actions to stabilise the current situation as well as longer term measures to establish a robust system that will bear the test of time.
The list of priority actions set out the key measures immediately required in terms of: (i) operational measures; (ii) budgetary support and (iii) implementation of EU law.
The list was endorsed by the informal meeting of Heads of State and Government of 23 September 2015 and again on 15 October 2015.
These measures now need to be swiftly and effectively implemented at all levels.
For a state of play of the commitments made at the Western Balkans Route Leaders' Meeting, see here.
Financial pledges
At the informal meeting of Heads of State and Government of 23 September, Member States recognised the need to deploy additional national funding. They repeated their commitment at the European Council on 15 October. The Commission has already proposed amendments to its 2015 and 2016 budgets, boosting the resources devoted to the refugee crisis by €1.7 billion. This means that the Commission will spend €9.2 billion in total on the refugee crisis in 2015 and 2016. Member States committed to deploying national funding to match. However, a large number of Member States still need to match EU funding for the UNHCR, World Food Programme and other relevant organisations (€500 million), the EU Regional Trust Fund for Syria (€500 million) and the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (€1.8 billion).
Member States' financial pledges since 23 September 2015, € million
|
Member States
|
Africa Trust Fund
|
Syria Trust Fund[1]
|
Humanitarian aid pledged since 23 September 2015[2]
|
Total
|
|
World Food Programme
|
UNHCR
|
Other
|
|
Austria
|
3
|
3
|
(up to) 30
|
36
|
|
Belgium
|
3
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
7.5
|
10.5
|
|
Bulgaria
|
x
|
0.1
|
0.05
|
x
|
0.05
|
0.2
|
|
Croatia
|
x
|
x
|
0.04
|
x
|
x
|
0.04
|
|
Cyprus
|
x
|
x
|
0.02
|
x
|
x
|
0.02
|
|
Czech Republic
|
x
|
5
|
0.2
|
x
|
x
|
5.2
|
|
Denmark
|
x
|
10
|
9.4
|
8.7
|
x
|
28.1
|
|
Estonia
|
x
|
0.15
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
0.15
|
|
Finland
|
3
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
7.6
|
10.6
|
|
France
|
3
|
x
|
18
|
19
|
63
|
103
|
|
Germany
|
3
|
20
|
40
|
60
|
x
|
123
|
|
Hungary
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
1
|
1
|
|
Italy
|
10
|
6
|
3
|
2
|
22.21
|
43.21
|
|
Latvia
|
0.05
|
0.05
|
0.05
|
x
|
x
|
0.15
|
|
Lithuania
|
0.05
|
x
|
0.06
|
0.04
|
x
|
0.15
|
|
Luxembourg
|
3
|
x
|
0.20
|
0.1
|
0.76
|
4.06
|
|
Malta
|
x
|
x
|
0.07
|
x
|
0.02
|
0.09
|
|
Netherlands
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
2
|
|
Poland
|
x
|
x
|
1
|
1
|
x
|
2
|
|
Portugal
|
0.25
|
x
|
0.09
|
x
|
x
|
0.34
|
|
Slovakia
|
0.5
|
3
|
0.3
|
0.6
|
1.1
|
5.5
|
|
Spain
|
3
|
x
|
3.5
|
6.5
|
|
United Kingdom
|
x
|
x
|
9
|
32
|
96
|
137
|
|
Total Pledged
|
31.85
|
47.3
|
439.57
|
518.72
|
|
Contribution from the EU budget
|
1800
|
500
|
500
|
2800
|
|
Total required
|
3600
|
1000
|
1000
|
5600
|
|
Shortfall
|
1768.15
|
452.7
|
60.43
|
2281,28
|
[1] Figures for Italy and Germany include pledges for 2015 and 2016
[2] Contributions were made by Member States before that date.
Relocation Schemes
The measures proposed by the Commission and adopted by the Council on 14 September and 22 September to relocate 160,000 people in clear need of international protection will allow for a significant, if partial, reduction of the pressure on the most affected Member States. It is of crucial importance that these measures will now be fully implemented. To allow these schemes to function effectively, Member States must swiftly respond to the call for national experts to support the work in the hotspots, notify the Commission of their reception capacities, and identify the national contact points who will coordinate relocations with Greece and Italy as well as national resettlement efforts.
Member States' Support to Emergency Relocation Mechanism
|
Member States
|
National Contact Points Appointed
|
Liaison Officers Appointed
|
Reply to EASO call -Experts
|
Reply to Frontex call – Border guards
|
Relocation
|
|
Italy
|
Greece
|
Places Made Available
|
Relocated from Italy
|
Relocated from Greece
|
Remaining Places from the 160,000
|
|
Austria
|
V
|
V
|
V
|
45
|
31
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
1953
|
|
Belgium
|
V
|
V
|
V
|
15
|
4
|
30
|
x
|
x
|
3812
|
|
Bulgaria
|
V
|
x
|
x
|
1
|
x
|
40
|
x
|
x
|
1302
|
|
Croatia
|
V
|
x
|
x
|
2
|
11
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
968
|
|
Cyprus
|
V
|
V
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
30
|
x
|
x
|
320
|
|
Czech Republic
|
V
|
x
|
x
|
10
|
8
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
2691
|
|
Denmark
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
|