France has expressed support for the initiative of the European Commission to introduce the migrant pact, aimed at balancing the EU border management and cooperation between the EU member states, and urged other member states to agree upon the reform on the bloc's migration policy to avoid a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis, the French Interior Ministry announced on Thursday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) France has expressed support for the initiative of the European Commission to introduce the migrant pact, aimed at balancing the EU border management and cooperation between the EU member states, and urged other member states to agree upon the reform on the bloc's migration policy to avoid a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis, the French Interior Ministry announced on Thursday.
The pact on migration and asylum was unveiled by the EU Commission's president, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday. Initially, its presentation was scheduled for September 30 but was urgently rescheduled due to the recent major fire in the Moria migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, which hosted some 13,000 people.
"France welcomes the presentation by the European Commission of its proposal for a migration pact. Our common asylum and immigration policy has to be thoroughly reviewed to learn from the situation in Europe since the 2015 [migrant] crisis," the statement from the ministry read.
The ministry noted it was necessary to adopt a reform balancing "responsibility and solidarity" with control of illegal immigration encouraged by smugglers, and at the same time provide people eligible for the asylum with better conditions.
It also stated the necessity to review the process of processing asylum applications, of which the number has doubled in France since 2015, making it the most requested country for migrants, along with Germany.
France has also confirmed the need to enhance solidarity means within the bloc, so that member states hit worst by the migration issues would not be "left alone in the face of the human, health and security challenges they face."
"Finally, France believes that the European Union should engage in a more rigorous dialogue with countries of origin and transit on immigration issues," the statement added, noting that the European cooperation strategy should include an assistance mechanism to combat criminal networks contributing to migration issues in these countries.
The pact is aimed at distributing the burden of migration flow from Greece, Italy and other EU states of migrants' first entry between all 27 EU nations. In addition, the European countries would be able to either accept migrants on their territories or pay for their repatriation if they deny them entrance.
On Wednesday, in line with the pact presentation, the European Commission also said it would establish and manage a reception center on the Lesbos island together with Athens to improve conditions for migrants who were left homeless after the Moria explosion.
