A more humane approach to asylum is in Europe’s interest

Harlem Désir is senior vice president, Europe at the International Rescue Committee.

The ink has barely dried on the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, and yet, the gains made by the hard right and populists in this month’s European Parliament election suggests that the fierce debate around who the EU welcomes — and how — is far from over.

While the pact is intended to streamline the EU’s approach to migration and asylum, there’s now risk that Europe will become increasingly polarized on the issue, resulting in fewer constructive solutions and more suffering at the Continent’s borders. The election results also raise serious questions about EU countries’ ability to effectively collaborate on migration and asylum.

The bloc’s current approach to managing migration is already deeply flawed. Its heavy focus on deterring people from reaching Europe isn’t only inhumane, it also isn’t working. Violent and illegal pushbacks have become de facto policy at some EU borders, but evidence shows they don’t serve their supposed goal of preventing spontaneous arrivals. Nobody makes a perilous journey or puts their family in the hands of smugglers unless they’re desperate and have no other option. Policies of deterrence simply result in more violence at our borders.

The same can be said of Europe’s migration deals with third countries. These deals are both cruel and costly for European taxpayers — and also counterproductive. Despite the EU investing billions in agreements with Libya and Tunisia to supposedly “stem migration flows” to Europe, the number of people arriving by sea to Italy — fleeing rising conflict, climate change and economic crises — is now returning to the record levels last seen between 2014 and 2016. Moreover, many EU countries are striking deals that aren’t deemed safe by the U.N. Refugee Agency and don’t guarantee the right to asylum. This isn’t a sustainable or honorable solution.

Furthermore, these approaches pose grave risks to Europe’s geopolitical security. The bloc’s increasing dependence on non-EU countries for its border and migration policies undermines its leadership, and it also enables other states to leverage migration for their own political agendas. This violates the rights of those on the move, and it turns them into pawns in a geopolitical game. The dangers of this became very clear when the Turkish government unilaterally suspended the EU-Turkey agreement in 2020 and opened its borders with the EU, leading to grave human rights violations.

All these policies prevent Europe from moving toward sustainable long-term solutions. For example, the EU pact allows for agreed rules and regulations to be tossed aside in the case of a self-defined “crisis,” which is likely to lead to more governments deviating from their legal obligations, and a less united approach across Europe as a whole.

The number of people arriving by sea to Italy — fleeing rising conflict, climate change and economic crises — is now returning to the record levels last seen between 2014 and 2016. | Clement Melki/AFP via Getty Images

In view of the shifts in the political landscape, there’s now real risk the incoming Commission president’s program on migration will drift toward further extremes too. This must be avoided. So, this World Refugee Day, as EU leaders mull their Commission nominee, we’re calling on the European Parliament’s political groups to make their support conditional on the following three key actions:

First, EU policymakers need to recognize that deterrence policies aren’t a magic bullet that will deliver greater predictability and order to Europe’s borders. And rather than doubling down on deterrence, the bloc should shift its focus toward welcoming people with dignity and respect.

As the EU pact is put into action in the coming years, we need firm guarantees that EU countries will safeguard fundamental rights and protections, which includes — at a minimum — meeting its requirements on preventing pushbacks, ensuring all new arrivals can access asylum and fair processing, and have their rights upheld at every stage. A key step here will be ensuring the establishment of truly robust independent border monitoring mechanisms to prevent human rights violations at our borders.

Second, safe routes continue to be a missing piece in the EU’s approach to asylum and migration. Failure to scale up existing routes and create safe pathways effectively slams the door on people seeking protection, leaving many stranded in countries where they’re unsafe. It’s vital Europe ensures prospective asylum seekers have genuine options that don’t involve making treacherous journeys, and for countries to welcome them in a humane, orderly and predictable way. The Union Resettlement Framework — a key element of the pact — is an opportunity to finally make this happen.

Finally, the International Rescue Committee’s experience in many countries — including Greece — shows that keeping people in remote facilities, under constant surveillance and behind barbed wire prevents their inclusion in local communities. In Germany, restrictions on where asylum seekers and refugees can reside have been shown to reduce their chances of finding employment.

Instead of keeping people cut off from their new communities, it’s in everyone’s interest to invest in inclusion — in ensuring all have access to dignified housing, physical and mental health support, and the training and support they need to rebuild their lives and contribute.

In the coming years, there’s a real opportunity for fresh thinking that both protects those seeking safety and benefits newcomers and EU citizens alike. This is what policymakers should prioritize. If they fail to do so, the EU will undermine its own values — and jeopardize the very premise of a strong and united Europe.