BELGIUM MUST REJECT THE EUROPEAN PACT ON MIGRATION AND ASYLUM

From December 6 to 19, 2023, CNCD-11.11.11 is taking part in the “Not This Pact” campaign, alongside numerous Belgian and European civil society organizations. Through this campaign, they are calling for a halt to negotiations on the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, which the Spanish Presidency of the Council intends to conclude in the coming weeks. They call for them to be restarted on a new basis, in line with human rights and the vision of the Global Compact on Migration.

Three years after the presentation of the European Commission’s proposal for a new Pact on Migration and Asylum, negotiations are drawing to a close. The new pact should be adopted by Tuesday December 19 at the latest, under the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union. Nevertheless, in view of its content, many civil society organizations note that no lessons have been learned from the 2015 reception crisis.

A European Pact on Migration and Asylum is a necessity, but only if it is based on the principles of migration justice: building partnerships for sustainable development with countries and regions of origin, opening up safe and legal channels for migration, strict compliance with international law, intra-European solidarity in welcoming people seeking asylum, and combating all forms of discrimination on European soil. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, signed in 2018, represented a step forward in this direction, which should inspire the European pact.

However, in its current, almost final, version, it undermines the right of asylum and fundamental rights, instrumentalizes and conditions aid to third countries, retains the “hotspot” approach (detain, sort, expel), and therefore constitutes a real danger for migrants. It offers no short- or long-term solutions, and risks legalizing practices that are contrary to international law. The organizations taking part in the Not This Pact campaign are therefore calling for an end to the pact negotiations, and for them to be restarted on a new basis of solidarity, openness and respect for human rights.

Throughout the thirteen days of the campaign, the organizations will use a common hashtag – #NotThisPact – and several specific hashtags – #NoRacism, #NoDetention, #NoPushback, #MoreProtection, #NoCriminalization – to denounce the many dangers of the pact, and propose alternatives that respect human rights.

This campaign will be supported at Belgian and European level by the CNCD-11.11.11, 11.11.11, Ciré, Vluchtelingenwerk, Caritas, Jesuit Refugee Service Europe, Euromed Droits, Picum, Save the Children, Border Violence Monitoring Europe and Migreurop.