The Refugee Crisis, Forced Migration

The refugee crisis, forced migration

ABSTRACT

It is said that the refugee crisis, which is currently lived in European countries, is one of the greatest forced migrations since World War II;Well, more and more refugees are directed to this contineReach your destination. The above has forced the European Union to adopt measures to help control the influx of refugees, which in turn has left the shortcomings that its immigration policies have, which has also created a deep division within the Union. Therefore, the present work will try to study the 2015 immigration crisis in Europe and how it has influenced the member countries of the European Union to the member countries. To this end, it is first intended to make a brief analysis of the 2015 refugee crisis;Subsequently, the response of the European Union against the crisis and finally the consequences of the crisis within the EU member countries will be analyzed.

INTRODUCTION

In 2015, more than one million migrants entered the EU in the greatest exodus towards Europe in recent decades;which encourages the European Union to enter a debate about what the possible scenarios would be to solve the problem of immigrants;being in a unique position, because they put in manifest the difficulties they had to develop and apply an effective response to deal with this challenge, causing a political crisis within the EU.

That is, the refugee crisis increases the differences already existing between the member countries, causing new conflicts and disturbing mutual relations.

At the same time, it has fueled radical nationalist political options, xenophobia, intolerance towards immigrants and minorities in general. This situation has led to reexamine the effectiveness of existing structures and the functioning of EU institutions. Highlighting that perhaps the refugee crisis is more as a structural crisis of the EU.

Refugee and Immigrant Crisis 2015

The refugee and immigrants crisis has been one of the most important and most dividing political issues in recent times, because year after year, millions of people are forced to leave their homes and seek refuge from conflicts, violence,human rights violations, persecution and natural disasters. Consequently, these people who have been uprooted from their homes are often face greater difficulties in their trip such as lack of access to essential needs such as clean water, food, refuge, personal safety and health care. Now, to better understand the context of the 2015 crisis it is important. According to UNHCR:

Refugees are people fleeing armed conflicts or persecution. Often, its situation is so dangerous and intolerable, that national borders cross to seek security in nearby countries, and thus be internationally recognized as “refugees”, with the assistance of states, UNHCR and other organizations. They are recognized precisely because it is too dangerous for them to return home, and need asylum in other places. These are people, to whom to deny asylum, can bring mortal consequences. While migrants choose to move not because of a direct threat of persecution or death, but mainly to improve their lives when finding work or education, family reunification, or for other reasons. Unlike refugees, who cannot return to their country safely, migrants continue to receive the protection of their government. 

Then the well -known European refugee/ migrants crisis was rather a movement mostly of refugees, since in 2015, an unprecedented number of asylum seekers arrived in Europe, mainly fleeing from the Civil War in Syria. In the middle of that year, Eurostat (2015) had registered more than 400.000 people as asylum seekers. Compared to the previous year, this amount was double. As a result, the EU faced the question of how to manage this mass influx. However, instead of committing, the EU seemed unable to find a satisfactory response to the crisis, while millions of people from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and several African countries continued requesting asylum in their continent. There is really no consensus on the origins of the crisis, however, for many of the experts this was given by mixed migration flows, which are characterized by being;

Complex population movements that include different groups of people who are in the context of international migration, such as migrants dueor not accompanied or separated from their families, as well as other people with protection needs.  

Many of these people do not have the necessary documentation, such as passports and visas, and often used unauthorized border crossings, such as European maritime borders.

This is a crisis that has been brewing for several decades and has become precarious due to the design and incomplete applications of the US policies. In effects, the flows have challenged European governments and the European Union, since within this one, the distinctions between groups of mixed migratory flows must be taken into account, which raises doubts about the determination of their situation and the rights of each.

Now, years prior to the crisis, there were already signs which indicated that a crisis was brewing and shouted to be paid attention, because after the Arab uprisings of 2011, the number of people who went to Europe to look forasylum through Turkey, or through the Central Mediterranean from North Africa began to increase;However, Europe continued giving priority to security, instead of the protection of vulnerable people. (Oroza Busutil & Puente Márquez, 2017) Already by the end of 2013, an alert would be raised in European governments on the excessive and rapid increase of migratory flows, as well as the losses of human lives that, through vulnerable routes anddangerous, they tried to reach the European territory. However, it would be until 2015 where everything would be controlled because an increase in international protection applications would be seen;Well this year

They arrived 1.257.030 new applications;a figure that represented a considerable increase with respect to the requests of 2014 (562.680), 123% growth, and at 2013 (372.855), years in which requests had already experienced significant growth with respect to the previous period. 

It is clear that the most important factors that forced people to leave their homes and seek protection in Europe were wars, conflicts and persecutions that were developed in their countries. Therefore, it is important to emphasize that one of the most relevant factors of the 2015 crisis was the war in Syria, as this year’s related, according to the 2015 GLOBAL report of the UNHCR there were already 7.6 million internal internal displacedSyrians and 4.9 million Syrian refugees worldwide. Which constituted most irregular migrants in the EU in 2015, the EU really could not do much to stop these flows because it had an influence, a political will and limited resources to end this complex conflict, in which in whichVarious actors intervened.

In this year the twenty -eight countries that make up the European Union managed to receive an approximate figure of 333.350 asylum requests, 913 every day, according to UNHCR between Europe and Sub -Saharan Africa welcomed:

To 4.4 million people respectively. In the European case, the figure grew by 1.3 million (41%) compared to 2014. However, in 2015, 58% of the refugees that were in Europe resided in Turkey (2.5 million), mostly from the Syrian Arab Republic and Iraq. In addition to Turkey, other European countries that housed a large number of refugees were Germany (316.100), the Russian Federation (314.500), France (273.100), Sweden (169.500), the United Kingdom (123.100) and Italy (118.000). (Anonymous, 2016)

It is also said that between Sweden and Germany weigh 55% of EU asylum concessions, between 2015 and 2016 (Sánchez, 2016). The increase in figures is largely due to the strong increase of people who use the Eastern Mediterranean route of Turkey to Greece, most of which are refugees fleeing wars in Syria and Iraq. Since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War, the number of refugees in Turkey has increased to more than 2 million. (Kirisci, 2018). As acnur (2015) points out, this has exerted enormous pressure on the infrastructure and economy of the country and has increasingly difficult access, work, housing and refugee education. Given the deterioration of conditions in Turkey, an increasing number of refugees has chosen to pay the smugglers of people to help them make the dangerous trip through Aegean to Greece.

European Union response to the crisis

This journey left a large number of deaths, so much so that in April 2015 the number of deaths reached its maximum point, when 1 were lost.308 refugees and migrants at sea. (ACNUR, 2015) After this tragedy, a European emergency summit would be held in which four areas of priority action would be established, which we will observe in the next table.

Fight against people’s traffickers

The EU leaders asked Federica Mogherini, a high representative of the EU, to propose measures that allow the capture and destruction of the border pins before they get to use them. They also asked the high representative to initiate preparations for a possible operation of the PCSD, according to international law. Measures such as the reinforcement of cooperation against illicit traffic networks with the help of Europol and the fate of immigration officials to third countries also agreed.

Reinforcement in the presence in the sea

The European Council has agreed to triple the resources available to Triton, the EU border mission in the Central Mediterranean zone, and improve its operational capacity. Likewise, concrete support has been announced to the mission with the contribution of more vessels, aircraft and experts by the Member States.

Prevention of illegal migration flows

The European Union limit the influx and fight against the causes of illegal migration. Reinforcing cooperation with countries of origin and transit, especially those found around Libya. The EU leaders also agreed to launch a new repatriation program for the rapid repatriation of irregular migrants.

Reinforcement of internal solidarity and responsibility

The EU will offer more protection to refugees from regions in conflict and establish a first voluntary pilot project of resettlement throughout the EU that will offer places to the people than people than people

have the right to protection.

Note. Source Council of the European Union (2015). Extraordinary Meeting of the European Council. Obtained from: https: // www.Consilium.Europe.EU/ES/MEOTINGS/EUROPEAN-COUNCIL/2015/04/23/

Even so, these approaches failed since the objectives of these operations were not migrants or refugees, but rather the smuggers and traffickers of people, who earned money with their lives and, too often, with their deaths. That is, the challenges that the EU was raised, were not directed 100% to those human beings whose lives continued to be lost in the sea;An example of this was that, during the summer of 2015, the number of arrivals per sea of Turkey to Greece continued to increase exponentially, followed by a massive movement of asylum and migrants applicants through the western Balkans and from there to the states to the statesEU members. (Athens, 2015)

This change in migration flow changed the nature of the crisis and its depth. Although mixed maritime migration was comparable to the previous flows, the scale of the phenomena that continued to happen in the Eastern Mediterranean questioned the response capacity of the European Union on multiple fronts, from the management of the borders to the aid to the aidhumanitarian.

On the other hand, there was also the pressure that the EU had in the case of refugees who, upon their arrival, face new challenges in relation to asylum procedures, housing, general lack of psychological therapy and issues related toeducation, work and cultural values. These factors somehow endanger their integration process in the host country. These visible and distressing situations also had a lasting impact on citizenship confidence on national policies and the ability of EU leaders to manage current and future migratory flows. At the same time, it was evidenced that there were limits for how and to what extent the EU institutions could intervene directly in the crisis, even when the impacts of the same extend through the borders, even so, the European Union does notI stop getting policies to stop the crisis, and that is why the summit of the Valeta on migration would be held;which wants

Gather African and EU countries to work together in a spirit of association and find common solutions to shared challenges. It is intended to take advantage of existing activities and cooperation frames, focusing on five specific areas, which are;Address the deep causes of migration, establishment and organization of legal migration channels, enhance the protection of migrants and asylum seekers, combat the exploitation and trafficking of migrants and for the last improvement of cooperation in the field of return and readmission. (Council of the European Union, 2015)

On the other hand, the EU was not used to managing such a high number of displaced people and, as such, did not have a well -adapted system to absorb immigrants. The European response to the problems of prolonged displacements worldwide has passed to the fore, since its national audience is affected by it. Then to finish this section of the work, a table that contains the common norms of asylum that the European Union has proposed and implemented, according to the European Commission in its document, the US and the migration crisis says that it is the strictest of theworld.

Save lifes

The EU has increased its ability to carry out search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean and to deal with criminal networks. By tripling the available resources, it helped save more than 400,000 lives in 2015 and 2016. More than 2 were captured.000 traffickers and smugglers and 375 ships were removed.

Address the deep causes of migration

The EU is working with five key countries of origin and traffic in Africa (Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal). For example, EU cooperation with Niger is helping to reduce traffic flow through the Sahara, with EU financing to support self-employment in traffic areas and six vulnerable migrant centers, as well as practical support of theEU on the ground to help fight smuggling and human beings.

Flow reduction

The EU-Turkish statement of March 2016 aims to stop the uncontrolled flow of immigrants through the Aegean Sea. It also provides legal routes for refugees to enter in Europe. As a result, the number of refugees and migrants from Turkey has been reduced considerably. Of a maximum of 10,000 in a single day in October 2015, arrivals in Greece have been an average of less than 74 a day since March 2016.

The EU has increased the return rate of irregular migrants without the right to remain in the EU to its country of origin. Member States have agreed to apply more actively the rules on return and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) will help them coordinate return flights. The EU is also supporting member states by holding return agreements with countries not belonging to the EU.

Protect our borders

The new European coast and border guard was launched in October 2016 to ensure that Europe can protect its common exterior borders and cope with new migration and security challenges together. More than 1,550 agents have been deployed to support member states on external borders, in addition to the 100,000 border guards existing in the Member States.

Solidarity in the country and abroad

In total, 17,700 million euros of the EU budget have been assigned to deal with the migration crisis in the 2015-2017 period, of which 10 300 million euros for the financing planned outside the EU, including2 700 million euros in humanitarian aid, 600 million euros for the Fiduciary Fund for Syria (also known as MAD Fund) and 2 400 million euros for the emergency fiduciary fund for Africa.

The humanitarian aid provided by the EU helps refugees and migrants in countries outside the EU, such as Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. In order to support a fund for refugees in Turkey, the EU and its member states have already assigned 2 200 million euros for humanitarian and non -humanitarian aid. In June 2017, contracts for 48 projects for a value of more than 1 had been signed.600 million euros, and 811 million euros had already been disbursed.

Open safe roads

In 2015, an emergency relocation plan was established, and EU member states promised to transfer people from Greece and Italy to other EU countries. For July 21, 2017, more than 24.000 people had been transferred -16.774 of Greece and 2.675 from Italy- 24 participating states. Member States must be able to relocate all people who meet the conditions for this before the end of 2017.

The EU also wants to create safe and legal routes for asylum and refugees to enter the EU so that they do not have to risk their lives by resorting to smugglers and traffickers. A voluntary resettlement program agreed by the Member States provides for the transfer of 22,500 people from outside the EU. In July 2017, about 16.500 people had been resettled in 21 resettlement states.

Repercussions of the crisis in the European Union

As mentioned above (and as expected also), the migration crisis that has taken place in the European Union has had multiple repercussions at an economic level, but especially in the political sphere. Likewise, it is possible to affirm that these consequences or collateral effects are likely to be considered negative in their great majority.

A first consequence of the migration crisis in the EU has to do with the temporary reintroduction of border controls in the Schengen space;measure that consists of a partial limitation imposed on the capacity of displacement to the interior of the territory of this community. In accordance with the Department of National Security of Spain (S.F.), ‘‘ The European Commission has stated that these are exceptional measures that do not violate community legality, provided that the requirements established in the regulatory regulations are met. The Schengen Border Code provides for the reintroduction of controls in the case of great magnitude events that require greater security measures, or in unforeseen emergency situations ’’ (DSN, S.F.).

This phenomenon allows you to probably be partially fragmented, or find its political solidity quite weakened. Although the community in question is making its greatest efforts to stand firm in the face of adversities. However, this situation has revealed the weaknesses of EU institutions. For example, one of the consequences of the failure of migration and asylum policies was the suspension of the previously named Schengen system, since the most significant political and functional achievement of European integration fell and without a doubt this indicated that there was a foulof solidarity and will by the member states to find a joint solution to the crisis, in which priority was actually giving priority to particular interests above the commons.

In addition, that the unequal distribution of the rights and obligations of the same led to a collapse of equality among EU members, as well as the violation of human rights and citizens of migrants, especially applicantsasylum. There are even EU countries that promote xenophobic policies and also put resistance to the most important EU institutions, rejecting their decisions as imposed and unfair. Therefore, it is not just about rejecting the obligations imposed by the system, but also of adopting and applying other laws and regulations that do not conform to the EU values and norms;directly undermining the functioning of the institutions and cooperation of the EU and, at the same time, in which the rights of migrants are violated, not allowing them to travel to Europe. All this puts the functioning of the EU central government authorities, as well as the purpose and strength of the fundamental values of the EU, shown that there can really be a fragmentation within the union.

Conclusions

In 2015, the EU faced the highest influx of refugees since World War II. The refugee crisis will continue to be the year in which thousands of people arrived in Europe to flee war and terror, but it is also the year in which the lack of coherence of the EU became more evident than ever. For this lack of coherence shown within the conception of policies, evidence how little prepared the European Union for such a crisis because many of these policies became dysfunctional and fruitless to resolve the refugee crisis. In addition to its application, it turned out to be a serious aberration of the fundamental values of the EU, which, therefore, had an effect on the political decision -making process, as well as in the difficult functioning and weakening of cooperation between membersfrom the EU.

Specifically, it was demonstrated that migration and asylum policies led to an unequal position of EU members themselves in the sense of the distribution of obligations and responsibilities in the resolution of the crisis, especially traffic and acceptance of a partyAliquot of refugees that arrive. However, it seems paradoxical that, while on the one hand, refugees are recognized as the victims of this situation, on the other hand, they are considered as illegal migrants, which is a threat to national security and welfare. With all this the European Union has a duty to open a review process on existing institutional structures, as well as mutual relations between member states, especially the largest and smallest, the most developed and the least developed. The refugee crisis really has undoubtedly demonstrated all the amplitude and depth of the crisis in the functioning of the EU and in the democratic process of political decision -making.

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