UNHCR press briefing 23 June, Main points include:
“During the second half of this year, the EU will adopt a new multiannual programme in the area of Justice and Home Affairs which will determine the course of EU law and policy on asylum from 2010 through 2014.
“UNHCR calls on Sweden to use its Presidency to reassert the importance of a rights-based approach to border management and migration control.
“Recent events, including Italy’s push-backs of boat people and elections in which anti-immigrant parties scored big gains in a number of EU countries, give rise to concern about Europe’s commitment to ensuring access to protection.
“UNHCR supports strengthened solidarity among EU Member States, to assist those facing particular pressures resulting from the arrival of irregular migrants and asylum seekers, and suggests a menu of options in this respect which could include the relocation from one Member State to another of persons recognized as refugees.
“But UNHCR points out that this should not be at the expense of solidarity with non-EU countries hosting large refugee populations.”
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MIGRANTS AT SEA 