BETA

Activities of Kristina WINBERG related to 2015/2095(INI)

Plenary speeches (2)

2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2015/2095(INI)

2016/11/22
Dossiers: 2015/2095(INI)

Amendments (49)

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas according to Frontex data5 , in the first eleven months of 2015, 1.55 million persons were detected while attempting to cross irregularly the EU’s external borders, setting an unprecedented record compared to the 282 000 migrants who arrived in the EU in the course of the whole 2014; and whereas, according to ~~IOM/UNICEF data, around 20 % of all migrants arriving by sea are children6 ;~~the Commission's first vice president Frans Timmermans 60% of migrants coming to Europe are economic migrants: __________________ 6 IOM and UNICEF, Data Brief: Migration of Children to Europe, http://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/press _release/file/IOM-UNICEF-Data-Brief- Refugee-and-Migrant-Crisis-in-Europe- 30.11.15.pdf. 5 Frontex news, http://frontex.europa.eu/news/number-of- migrants-arriving-in-greece-dropped-by- half-in-november-cITv3V.

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas ~~according to EASO data7 , in the first ten months of 2015 over 1 million application~~there are several cases of migrant's falsely claiming to be an unaccompanied minor ; notes with regret the lack of ways for indeter~~national protection were lodged in the EU, with numbers rising steadi~~mining the real age of self-proclaimed unaccompanied minors; is deeply siconce ~~April, while the share of repeated applications has been simultaneously decreasing; and whereas around 9 % of applicants claim to be unaccompanied minors~~rned that these migrants posing as minors, who in reality are mostly male adults, are being placed in schools with vulnerable children; __________________ 7 EASO Newsletter, November-December 2015, https://easo.europa.eu/wp- content/uploads/EASO-Newsletter-NOV- DEC_-20151.pdf.

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital F

F. whereas solidarity can take the forms of internal and external solidarity; and whereas relocation, mutual recognition of asylum decisions, operational support measures, a pro-active interpretation of the current Dublin Regulation and the Temporary Protection Directive are all tools for internal solidarity, whilthe so-called term "solidarity" has been abused by the undemocratic EU's leaders, putting Member States migration system under huge pres~~ettlement, humanitarian admission and search and rescue at sea promote external solidarity~~sure and the security of its citizens at risk;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital G

G. whereas migrant smuggling, trafficking and labour exploitation are distinct legal phenomena requiring properly targeted responses, while often overlapping in practice; and whereas criminal smuggling and trafficking networks can change their modus operandi very quickly, thus requiring rapidly adapted responses based on the most recent and accurate datathe EU's open borders policy is an incentive for irregular migration therefore indirectly facilitating to migrants smuggling networks;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital J

J. whereas the abolishment of internal border controls must go hand-in-hand with the effective management of external borders, with high common standards, effective exchange of information between Member States, and full respect for everyone’s fundamental rightsresulted in massive uncontrolled irregular migration, including free passage of ISIS terrorists into Europe;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital M

M. whereas safe and legal routes for refugees to access the EU are limited, and many continue to take the risk of embarking on dangerous routes; and whereas the creation of new safe and lawful routes for asylum seekers and refugees to enter the EU, building on existing legislation and practices, would allow the EU and the Member States to have a better overview of the protection needs and of the inflow into the EU and to undermine the business model of the smugglers;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital P

P. whereas ~~the EU has intensified its external cooperation with third countries in migration and asylum~~it is deplorable that the EU has promised €3 billion to Turkey in order to stem the flow of migrants to Grespond adequately to the current refugee crisis, and has launched new cooperation initiatives such as the EU-Turkey Joint Action Plan, the commitments taken on the Western Balkans Routes and the Action Plan adopted at the Valetta summitece; whereas it is to be noted with concern that according to the UNHCR since January to date 76,607 irregular migrants arrived by sea in Greece in 2016;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Recital S

S. whereas several EU financial instruments exist to fund Member States’ and third countries’ actions in the area of migration, asylum and border management; whereas in particular funds for Member States are allocated mainly through the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF), but whereas numerous other programmes and funds can be used for activities related to migration; and whereas funding to third countries, while allocated mainly through DCI, is administered by numerous Commission DGs and the EEAShanks to contributions of Member States who overburden their citizens with high taxes in order for the EU to create all kinds of " Funds" which the citizens of Europe rarely benefit of it;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2

2. Starts from the premise that saving lives must be a first priority and that proper funding, at Union and Member State level, for search and rescue operations is essential; notes that there has been an increase in the number of irregular arrivals by sea and an alarming increase in the number of deaths at sea,; and that a better ~~European~~ response is still required;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Takes the view that ~~a permanent, robust and effective Union response in search and rescue operations at sea is crucial to preventing an escalating death toll of migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean S~~the EU's open borders policy is an incentive for more migrants to risk their lives at sea;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Suggests, in that respect, that search and rescue capacities must be strengthened, and that Member States’ governments must deploy more resources – in terms of financial assistance and assets – in the context of a Union-wide humanitarian operation, dedicated to finding, rescuing and assisting migrants in peril and bringing them to the closest place of safetyhumanitarian operations should be carried out in the region ( safe neighbouring countries);

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Points out that private shipmasters or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who genuinely assist persons in distress at sea should not risk punishment for providing such assistance; believes that merchant shipping should not provide an option in lieu of Member States and the Union fulfilling their obligations in terms of search and rescuepro-actively search and rescue irregular migrants at sea should be consider as smugglers;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Underlines that military operations should not be the predominate aspect of any holistic approach to migration and reiterates that Operation Sophia must not distract assets already deployed in the Mediterranean from saving lives at sea;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Recalls that the process of relocation – that is to say, transferring an applicant for international protection, or a beneficiary of international protection, from one Member State to another – is a practical example of solidarity within the Union; recalls, in addition, that, since 2009, Parliament has been calling for a binding mechanism for the distribution of asylum seekers among all the Member Statesin 2015 more than 1 million migrants crossed into Europe; Whereas according to UNHCR 82,636 migrants arrived in Europe by sea in 2016; Notes with concern that many more migrants will continue to come to Europe in 2016; notes that a Relocation Scheme will not solve the migration crisis yet would it worsened; Recommends therefore Member States to close their own borders, return all the economic migrants to their country of origin and provide aid in the region;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Takes the view that the establishment of urgent relocation measures is a move in the right direction, and calls on Member States to fulfil their obligations with regard to those measures as soon as possible;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Is of the opinion that, in addition to the criteria contained in the Relocation Decisions, namely the GDP of the Member State, the population of the Member State, the unemployment rate in the Member State, and the past numbers of asylum seekers in the Member State, consideration should be given to two other criteria, namely, the size of the territory of the Member State and the population density of the Member State;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Believes that the preferences of the applicant should, as much as practically possible, be taken into account when carrying out relocation; recognises that this is one way of discouraging secondary movements and encouraging applicants themselves to accept relocation decisions, but that it should not stop the relocation process;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Points out that, given the unprecedented flows of migrants that have reached and continue to reach the Union’s external borders, and the steady increase in the number of people asking for international protection, the Union needs a binding and mandatory legislative approach to resettlement, as set out in the Commission’s agenda for migration; recommends that, to have an impact, such an approach must provide for resettlement of a meaningful number of refugees, with regard to the overall numbers of refugees seeking international protection in the Unionthe resettlement of refugees is a National decision; stresses that resettlement must always be on a voluntary basis;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Underlines that there is a need for a permanent Union-wide resettlement programme, with mandatory participation by Member States, providing resettlement for a meaningful number of refugees, having regard to the overall number of refugees seeking protection in the Union;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Points out that humanitarian admission can be used as a complement to resettlement in order to give urgent protection, often on a temporary basis, to the most vulnerable where needed, e.g. unaccompanied minors or refugees with disabilities;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

~~25. Underlines that, in so far as resettlement remains unavailable for third-country nationals, all Member States should be encouraged to establish and implement humanitarian admission programmes;~~deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Points out that humanitarian visas provide persons in need of international protection with means of accessing a third country in order to apply for asylum; calls on the Member States to make use of any existing possibilities to provide for humanitarian visas at Union embassies and consular offices in countries of origin or transit countries;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Points out that ~~further steps are necessary to ensure that the CEAS becomes a truly uniform syste~~in order to establish the unrealistic Common European Asylum System the EU has been throwing away billions of tax payers money, overloading the National's migration system and exposing the citizens of Europe to violence, harassment and terrorism;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Recalls that a comprehensive assessment (in the form of the Commission’s evaluation reports) of the implementation of this package, followed by a speedy follow-up in case implementation is unsatisfactory in certain Member States, is absolutely necessary in order to improve harmonisation;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Further points out that, at the same time, the incidence of secondary movements across the Union remains high; views it as self-evident that, since its creation, the Dublin system was not designed to share responsibility among Member States, but that its main purpose was to assign swiftly responsibility for processing an asylum application to a single Member State due to open borders, due to the lack of registration of arriving migrants at the frontline Member States and due to thousands of economic migrants who are seeking Member States that offer the most financial benefits instead of looking for safety;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Takes the view that the European Union should support the Member States receiving the most asylum claims with proportionate and adequate financial and technical support; considers that the rationale of using solidarity and responsibility-sharing measures is to enhance the quality and functioning of the CEAS;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Points out that one option for a fundamental overhaul of the Dublin system would be to establish a central collection of applications at Union level – viewing each asylum seeker as someone seeking asylum in the Union as a whole and not in an individual Member State – and to establish a central system for the allocation of responsibility for any persons seeking asylum in the Union; suggests that such a system could provide for certain relative thresholds per Member State, above which no further allocation of responsibility could be made until all other Member States have met their own thresholds, which could conceivably help in deterring secondary movements, as all Member States would be fully involved in the centralised system and no longer have individual responsibility for allocation of applicants to other Member States; believes that such a system could function on the basis of a number of Union ‘hotspots’ from where Union distribution should take place; underlines that any new system for allocation of responsibility must incorporate the key concepts of family unity and the best interests of the child;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Notes that, at present, Member States recognise asylum decisions from other Member States only when they are negative; reiterates that mutual recognition by Member States of positive asylum decisions is a logical step towards proper implementation of Article 78(2)(a) TFEU, which calls for ‘a uniform status of asylum valid throughout the Union’;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 38

38. Notes that the Temporary Protection Directive also provides for the possibility of evacuation of displaced persons from third countries, and that such evacuation would allow for the use of humanitarian corridors, in cooperation with UNHCR, with an obligation on Member States – where necessary – to provide every facility for obtaining visas;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40

40. Emphasises that hosting Member States must offer refugees support and opportunities to integrate and build a life in their new society and – as provided for in the Qualifications Directive12 – this should also include effective access to democratic structures in society; emphasises that integration is a two-way process and that respect for the values upon whgrant genuine refugees temporary residence rights for so long as the life- threatening or conflicht th~~e EU is built must be an integral part of the integration process~~at they have fled from persist ; __________________ 12 Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, for a uniform status for refugees or for persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and for the content of the protection granted (OJ L 337, 20.12.2011, p. 9).

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42

42. Takes the view that, where those persons granted international protection in the Union have an offer of employment in a Member State other than the one in which they have been granted international protection, they should be able to avail themselves of such an offer;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 43

43. Reaffirms that better recognition of foreign qualifications is one practical way of ensuring that those third-country nationals already present in the Union can ~~integrate better, and calls on the Commission to come forward with appropriate proposals in that regard~~assimilate better;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 45

45. Encourages the Member States to seek to keep families together, which will assist integration prospects in the long-term as the focus can be directed towards the establishment of a new life instead of concerns towards family members that are still in insecure situations;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 51

51. Suggests that any attempt by Member States to ‘push back’ migrants who have not been given the opportunity to present asylum claims runs contrary to Union and international law, and that the Commission should take appropriate action against any Member State that attempts such ‘push backs’;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 55

55. Notes that, in September 2015, the Commission was obliged to adopt 40 infringement decisions related to the implementation of the CEAS against 19 Member States, which was in addition to 34 cases already pending; reiterates that Parliament should be kept fully informed of proceedings launched by the Commission against Member States that have not implemented, or have not properly implemented, Union legislation in this area;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 59

59. Observes that the EASO budget for 2015 for relocation, resettlement and the external dimension was a mere EUR 30 000; reiterates that this very small budget cannot be taken seriously in the light of current events in the Mediterranean and in the light of the multiple references made to EASO in the Relocation Decisions; recalls that significant increases in the budget of EASO, in its human resources and in the amounts it allocates in respect of relocation and resettlement, will be needed in the short, medium and long term;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 63

63. Recalls that, since the establishment of the Schengen Area, the Union is an area without internal borders, ~~that the~~which exposes all Schengen Member States have developed a step-by- step common policy towards the Schengen external borders, and that the inherent logic of such a system has always been that the abolishment of internal border controls has to go hand in hand with compensatory measures strengthening the external borders of the Schengen Area and the sharing of information through the Schengen Information System (‘SIS’)to transnational serious crime, free movement of criminals including jihadists, human trafficking and illegal migration;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 65

65. Accepts that the Union needs to strengthen its external border protection and further develop the CEAS, and that measures are necessary to enhance the capacity of the Schengen Area to address the new challenges facing Europe and preserve the fundamental principles of security and free movement of personsStresses the need of Front line Member States to strengthen its external border protection;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 77

77. Notes that the Commission is considering a revision of Council Directive 2002/90/EC defining the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and residence; ~~takes the view that anyone who provides different forms of humanitarian assistance to those in need should not be criminalised and that Union law should reflect that principle;~~

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 86

86. Recalls that the Union has intensified its external cooperation with third countries in migration and asylum in order to respond adequately to the current refugee crisis, and has launched new cooperation initiatives, such aDeplores the EU- Turkey Joint Action Plan; emphasises, in that respect, the need for all parties to fulfil their commitments deriving from the Joint Action Plan, including addressing the root causes leading to the massive influx of Syrians, stepping up cooperatDeeply; regrets that the EU has promised the sum of €3 billion ~~for~~to the ~~support of Syrians under temporary protection and their host communities in Turkey, and for Turkey to fulfil its commitments to prevent irregular migration flows from its territory to the Un~~unreliable country of Turkey; Strongly opposes to Visa-liberalisation for Turkish citizens and EU accession;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 87

87. Points out that many ~~smuggled persons have some level of awareness of the~~migrants choose to risks the~~y will face on a potentially hazardous trip to Europe, but choose to embark o~~ir lives even twhe ~~journey regardless, as they assess those risks to be lower than those they would face if they were not to migrate~~n they have already reached a safe country;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 90

90. Recalls that the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants has also called on the Union to open up regular migration channels so as to allow migrants to use formal entry and exit channels instead of having to resort to criminal smuggling networks;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 94

94. Welcomes the recently established Emergency Trust Fund for Africa and the EUR 1.8 billion pledged to the fund, which has added an additional element to third-country funding; calls on the Member States to continue contributing to the fund;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 98

98. Welcomes the additional funding made available in the Union’s budget for 2016 to start to deal with the current migration phenomena; points out that most of that new funding represents funding under the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which has been brought forward, with the result that the Union is spending today what was intended to be spent tomorrow;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 100

100. Encourages the Member States to take full advantage of the possibilities offered by funds which are not directly related to migration policy, but which can be used to fund actions in that area (e.g. integration actions), such as those available under the European Social Fund, the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, Horizon 2020, the European Regional Development Fund and the Rights and Citizenship Programme;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 102

102. Points out that securing operational funding is a key challenge for NGOs as most funding is project-related; affirms that volunteer and civil-society initiatives dedicated to providing assistance to migrants should be promoted and, where appropriate, funded by the Commission and the Member States; calls on the Member States and the Commission to seek, where appropriate and possible, to fund projects managed by civil society organisations working in the areas of migration, integration and asylum;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 109

109. Points out that the Europe 2020 strategy has identified the need for a comprehensive labour migration policy, and for better integration of migrants, in order to meet the Union’s goals for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 111

111. Takes the view that, in the long run, the Union will need to establish more general rules governing the entry and residence for those third-country nationals seeking employment in the Union to fill the gaps identified in the Union labour market;deleted

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE

Kristina WINBERG

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 121

121. Believes, moreover, that it is clear that the directive should focus ~~not just~~ on the highly-qualified, but also on targeted high-qualification occupations where there are proven labour shortages; believes, in addition, that the revision of the Blue Card should be both ambitious and targeted, and should seek to remove the inconsistencies of the existing directive, particularly as regards parallel national schemes; recommends that thought be given to revising the scope to include those third-country nationals who could help tackle the gaps identified in EU labour market qualified occupations;

2016/02/22
Committee: LIBE