The European parliament approved the bloc’s new migration and asylum pact.
The pact was passed despite earlier uncertainties over whether all parts of it would receive sufficient backing.
The votes came after years of deadlock, debates and negotiations over the EU’s migration and asylum policies.
The pact’s approval was met with a mix response. It was backed by the parliament’s biggest parties, but elicited strong criticism from some political groups and NGOs.
Roberta Metsola, the European parliament president, said “we kept out word,” calling the pact a “balance between solidarity and responsibility.”
The European home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, told the Guardian: “I feel proud ... considering when I took office four and a half years ago, few thought we would make it.”
MEP Tomas Tobé, from the centre-right European people’s party, said that “delivering on the new Migration Pact will allow us to regain control over our external borders and reduce the migration pressure on the EU,” he said.
Iratxe García, president of the Socialists and Democrats group, said that “thanks to the unity of the S&D Group, we finally put a real European solution in place. This moves us away from ad-hoc crises responses to a permanent and sustainable procedure that governments can rely on.”
Valérie Hayer, the president of the centrist Renew Europe, said “this marks an end to the unbearable failure by EU countries to find common ground on how to deal best with migration.”
The Greens said that “with the migration pact, the lack of solidarity towards asylum seekers & between member states will only get worse.”
The Left group in the European parliament said “today is a dark day for human rights, but the fight for a humane migration policy does not end here.”
The French National Rally’s Jordan Bardella, a critic of the migration pact, has called it “terrible” and called for a “defeat” for the project in the upcoming European parliament election.
Eve Geddie, Amnesty International’s head of the European institutions office, said “EU institutions are now shamefully co-signing an agreement that they know will lead to greater human suffering.”
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said after the votes that the migration and asylum pact will be making a “real difference” for Europeans.
She said it would bring more secure borders, knowing who crosses the borders, while ensuring respect for fundamental rights.
The pact strikes a balance, she said.
The pact is about how best to pull our weight together, she said, noting that the EU will continue fulfilling international obligations, but must be the ones deciding who comes into the bloc – not smugglers.
The EU will continue working with global partners to address root causes of migration, von der Leyen said, adding that this work is delivering.
We delivered a European solution, but our work is not done yet, the Commission president said.
Addressing reporters after today’s votes, the European parliament president, Roberta Metsola, said “we have listened, we have acted, and we have delivered on one of the main concerns of people across Europe.”
“This is a historic day for Europe,” she said, thanking lawmakers who spent years working on the migration pact.
“EU institutions are now shamefully co-signing an agreement that they know will lead to greater human suffering,” said Eve Geddie, Amnesty International’s head of the European institutions office.
“For people escaping conflict, persecution or economic insecurity these reforms will mean less protection and a greater risk of facing human rights violations across Europe - including illegal and violent pushbacks, arbitrary detention and discriminatory policing,” she said.
Geddie added:
This pact is a failure to show global leadership on refugee protection and building safe, fair and dignified pathways for people to reach Europe - whether in search of safety or of opportunity.
The European home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, is walking around the lobby outside the hemicycle with a big smile on her face. She was responsible for shepherding through the legislation over the last four years.
“I feel proud ... considering when I took office four and a half years ago, few thought we would make it,” she told the Guardian.
“This is unprecedented. It is a historic decision from the EU. Finally we will have a migration policy to allow us to manage migration in a more orderly way.”
Immediately after the vote, Donald Tusk has said he will not accept the relocation of migrants from other nations under the solidarity rules just been voted through.
However experts point out that any country can opt out of this if they pay €20,000 per migrant or provide some “measures in kind” which can include the donation of experts, technical equipment or anything else needed by states under pressure.
'Dark day for human rights,' Left group says following pact approval
“Today is a dark day for human rights, but the fight for a humane migration policy does not end here,” the Left group in the European parliament said after MEPs approved the migration and asylum pact.
“Movements, NGOs, collectives and this group will not stop demanding justice and solidarity,” the group said.
The Hungarian government has reiterated its opposition to the migration pact.
❗️ FM Szijjártó declared that regardless of any migration pact adopted by the European Parliament, Hungary will maintain its legal and physical border barriers and will not allow illegal immigrants entry, opposing the pro-war and pro-migration stance of Brussels' leadership.
'Historic': German chancellor welcomes migration pact
The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has called the migration and asylum pact a historic step.
Die Reform des Gemeinsamen Europäischen Asylsystems steht für die Solidarität unter den europäischen Staaten. Sie begrenzt die irreguläre Migration und entlastet endlich die Länder, die besonders stark betroffen sind. Ein historischer, unverzichtbarer Schritt! #GEAS
— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) April 10, 2024
'Only get worse': Greens criticise migration pact after vote
The Greens in the European parliament, who have opposed the package, said after today’s votes that “with the migration pact, the lack of solidarity towards asylum seekers & between member states will only get worse.”
“Real solidarity is about sharing the responsibility fairly both within the EU and international partners & standing up to our values & fighting for human rights,” the Greens said.
With the #MigrationPact, the lack of solidarity towards asylum seekers & between member states will only get worse.
Real solidarity is about sharing the responsibility fairly both within the EU and international partners & standing up to our values & fighting for human rights. pic.twitter.com/HceaGwyqJD
— Greens/EFA in the EU Parliament 🌍 (@GreensEFA) April 10, 2024
The French National Rally’s Jordan Bardella, a critic of the migration pact, has called it “terrible” and called for a “defeat” for the project in the upcoming European parliament election.
The message was also echoed by Marine Le Pen.
Soutenu par Emmanuel Macron, le terrible Pacte migratoire européen, qui impose la répartition des migrants dans nos communes sous peine de sanctions financières, vient d'être adopté.
Le 9 juin, imposons-lui la plus lourde défaite possible et refusons ce projet de submersion !
Le Pacte des migrations organise la mise sous tutelle et sous contrôle des nations, l’impunité juridique des ONG complices des passeurs. Le 9 juin, nous mettrons fin à la poursuite accélérée des politiques d’incitation et d’organisation de l’immigration massive.
A group of 22 NGOs has issued a statement arguing that “while the adoption of the Pact on Migration and Asylum today is likely to lead to a detrimental degradation of people’s access to protection in Europe, the new Union Resettlement Framework (URF) adopted alongside the Pact offers a glimmer of hope.”
“The URF signals the EU’s political support for global resettlement efforts and has the potential to be a step towards advancing solidarity, capacity-building and responsibility sharing. It must now be operationalised effectively to ensure that more people reach safety and find long-term solutions,” the groups, which include the International Rescue Committee and Oxfam, said.
Renew president says those opposed to pact 'surf on people’s misery'
Valérie Hayer, the president of the centrist Renew Europe, said “throughout this mandate, Renew Europe has advocated for enhancing the EU’s asylum system, today it’s a reality.”
She added:
This marks an end to the unbearable failure by EU countries to find common ground on how to deal best with migration.
The candidates standing in the EU elections who voted against this agreement are those who don’t want changes, but surf on people’s misery.
Despite the attempts of the far-right to block European solutions, the EU is demonstrating that united, we can establish this needed reform.
“We have successfully put an end to the political deadlock that has characterised migration for many years,” the centre-right European People’s party MEP Tomas Tobé said in a statement after the voting ended.
“Delivering on the new Migration Pact will allow us to regain control over our external borders and reduce the migration pressure on the EU,” he said.
The EPP has also said it “led the efforts towards a common European solution on EU Migration” and that “today, we delivered.”
Some MEPs said they voted in favour of the migration deal, despite criticism and doubts.
I voted for the historic European asylum & migration pact. The new legislation is not perfect but we can only make migration manageable and humane with one European solution. Today we @RenewEurope have shown that Europe delivers for our citizens,despite the far-right and far-left
The Migration Pact is adopted! Now the EU can regain control of our external borders, reduce economic migration and put in place a common migration policy that is well functioning and fit for the long-term 🇪🇺
