European Commission - Press release

Refugee Crisis: European Commission reports on progress in implementation

of priority actions
Brussels, 14 October 2015
Refugee Crisis: European Commission reports on progress in implementation of priority
actions
Ahead of the European Council of 15 October, the Commission has today put on the table
a Communication describing the State of Play of the implementation of the priority actions under the
European Agenda on Migration. This Communication to the European Council sets out the progress
made on the operational measures, budgetary commitments and actions to implement EU law that
were proposed by the Commission and endorsed by Heads of State and Government on 23 September.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: "As Europe's leaders, we came together
three weeks ago to agree on a concrete list of steps we need to take, and to take urgently. The
Commission has lived up to all its commitments. We have dedicated more money to the refugee crisis
with our amending budget already adopted by both co-legislators. We have sent our experts to
Greece and Italy to make the hotspots and relocation scheme function, and pushed all Member States
to properly apply the EU's common asylum rules. We have seen concrete results, but we still need
Member States to do more. Noble words need to be followed by concrete actions back home."
Concerning operational measures, the hotspot approach proposed by the Commission is now
starting to function, with Migration Management Support Teams fully operational in Lampedusa, Italy,
and being rolled out in Greece. This has allowed for the first relocations of asylum seekers to take
place, as well as a number of return flights for irregular migrants with no right to stay. The Commission
has also worked with Member States to operationally prepare for resettlement of people in need of
international protection directly from third countries, and the first Syrian refugees have already been
resettled to Italy, the Czech Republic and Liechtenstein which, as a Schengen Associated State,
participates in the scheme. 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.
In terms of budgetary support, 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. In an accelerated
procedure, both the European Parliament and Member States in the Council have given their approval
to the Commission's amended budget for 2015. Member States must now deploy national spending to
match, as recognised by Heads of State and Government on 23 September. 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 must also ensure proper implementation of EU law. The Common European Asylum
System is based on helping people in need of international protection and returning migrants who have
no right to stay on EU territory. These rules have to be properly applied. The Commission has not yet
received replies to the 40 warning letters it sent to Member States in September, in addition to the 34
already pending cases, on potential or actual infringements of EU asylum legislation on 23 September.
The Commission is also working intensely with Greece, with a dedicated team working under the
leadership of the Commission's Director-General of the Structural Reform Support Service on the
ground to ensure that Greece's reception capacities are improved, and that conditions will be met for
the reinstatement of Dublin transfers to Greece to be recommended by the European Council by
the end of 2015. In addition, the Commission is currently finalising an Opinion on the proportionality
and necessity of temporary reintroduction of border controls by Germany, Austria and Slovenia. The
Commission will continue to closely monitor the situation, and believes that full implementation of the
agreed priority actions will allow a return to a normally functioning Schengen system in the
months to come.

The external dimension is key to tackling the root causes of current migratory and refugee flows to
the EU. Additional financing and diplomatic efforts are one part of the solution. EU diplomacy is actively
engaged in seeking political solutions to the crises in Libya and in Syria, in support of UN led
processes. In addition, the EU Action Plan against Migrant Smuggling is being implemented, and
preparations are ongoing with African partners to prepare for successful conclusions to the Valletta
Summit on Migration which will take place on 11-12 November. More effective returns are being
facilitated by negotiations on readmission agreements or the increased implementation of existing
agreements, such as the one with Pakistan. Turkey and the Western Balkans are pivotal partners. The
detailed Action Plan on Migration handed by President Juncker to President Erdoan on 5 October set
out a series of concrete measures to work on together. The Commission is now in active discussions
with the Turkish authorities in order to finalise the Action Plan. In addition, the recently adopted
Declaration at the High-level Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean Western Balkans Route paves
the way for increased cooperation with partners in our immediate neighbourhood.
Background
The European Agenda on Migration set out 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.
For more information
Communication: Managing the refugee crisis: State of Play of the Implementation of the Priority
Actions under the European Agenda on Migration: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-wedo/policies/european-agenda-migration/proposal-implementationpackage/docs/communication_on_eam_state_of_play_20151014_en.pdf
European Commission Statement following the decision at the Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs
Council to relocate 120,000 refugees: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-155697_en.htm
Memo Q&A on Emergency Relocation: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-5698_en.htm
Press Release - Managing the refugee crisis: Immediate operational, budgetary and legal measures
under the European Agenda on Migration: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5700_en.htm
Press Release - More Responsibility in managing the refugee crisis: European Commission adopts 40
infringement decisions to make European Asylum System work: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressrelease_IP-15-5699_en.htm
Factsheet Towards an Effective Return Policy: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/elibrary/multimedia/publications/index_en.htm#0801262490bfbb82/c_
Factsheet A European Refugee Relocation System: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/elibrary/multimedia/publications/index_en.htm#0801262490bfbb48/c_
Factsheet The 'Hotspot' Approach: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/elibrary/multimedia/publications/index_en.htm#0801262490bfbb7f/c_
All press materials on the EU Migration Agenda: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-wedo/policies/european-agenda-migration/press-material/index_en.htm
IP/15/5839
Attachments
ANNEX - Follow Up of Priority Actions State of Play as of 14 October 2015.pdf