The European Movement International position
In our policy position on “Migration
and Europe: Protecting Fundamental Rights”, we argue that efforts
in the area of migration policy have to be made by all Member States
in order to alleviate the pressure on the main countries of arrival.
Solidarity is key, meaning that national leaders must take
responsibility and refrain from nationalistic and anti-migration
rhetoric and action. The open nature of Europe should be preserved,
Schengen cannot be compromised. Free movement is a fundamental right
for EU citizens. Therefore, a ‘Fortress Europe’ runs contrary to the
founding values of the European Union.
The core of any policy should be that refugees and asylum seekers
are, first and foremost, human beings and deserve to be treated with
dignity and respect, as we argue in our policy position on ”Migration
and the Refugee Crisis: A European Response”. For this reason,
detention of asylum seekers should only be a measure of last resort
and avoided as much as possible. With timely measures and the
appropriate funding, Europe should be able help the national and local
authorities alleviate the settlement of the refugees and asylum
seekers.
