This is a summary of a policy document that was adopted at the 8th EGP Council, Ljubljana, 11-13th April 2008.

The full document and translations in DA, DE, ES, FI, FR, GR, HU, IT, MT, NL, SV

 

 The act of free movement as well as the freedom to stay, are human rights. However, forced migration leads to suffering and decline, and the root causes that force people to leave their societies must be combated. Now more than ever we need shared positions. The European Greens agree on a common approach to Migration, emphasizing solidarity.

 We Greens strive for proactive policies that benefit the migrant and the society as a whole. Inclusion policy is not a favour to migrants, it is needed for the whole society to function. If it is not done well – as is the case in most European countries – problems, fears, anxieties, prejudice on both sides can and do occur.

 We Greens believe in diversity as a positive value. We are not afraid of the prospect of change in our communities, being supportive of inclusion as a dialogue and not as an imposition. If there are legal ways to Europe, less people will go a dangerous and potential deadly journey.

 Actions to combat climate change must be further developed and given enough funding to guarantee definite results. This will also bring about new jobs. The EU must throw all of its energy towards preventing conflicts and restore peaceful conditions all over the world.

 Full access to the labour market for all EU residents

 Before looking at the potential labour migrants outside the European Union, Member States should first grant full access to the labour market to all present residents within the Union.

 EU policy on labour migration: blue card, temporary migration and minimum standards

 To the EU proposal of a blue card for highly skilled migrants, EGP wants to add the possibility of facilitated entry for semi-skilled and unskilled workers.

 Failure of the “Guest worker system”

 Nowadays most migrants cannot move freely to and from their home countries, because leaving the European Union means a big risk of never being admitted anymore. EGP rejects the proposed idea of circular migration, admitting migrants only temporary, because of the risk of failure like the old “Guest worker system”.

 Integration: it must not be a prerequisite for migrants, but a goal

 In the last years politicians from Europe consider the possibility of integration as a requisite to migrate to Europe. We Greens reject this view: integration is a goal and inclusion processes are the tool that society uses to help all citizens to participate.

 Access to asylum

 Every person who needs shelter according to the Geneva Conventions must have the possibility to get access to a fair asylum procedure in Europe.

 Protection on the grounds of gender and sexual orientation

 Gender reasons to escape the country of origin like genital mutilation, oppression and religious persecution because of gender, ‘honour crimes’, rape, forced abortion or sterilisation must be accepted as reasons to get asylum in all EU countries, as well as persecution on grounds of sexual orientation.

 Climate change refugees

 There are now migrants, displaced persons and their families, who must leave their land because of environmental. The word refugee must be extended to those who are forced to migrate because of climatic change.

 The Dublin convention

 The EGP favours the revision or removal of the Dublin II convention on the grounds that it creates a disproportionate burden for some countries and complicates the processing of asylum claims. The removal of this Convention is essential for small former “transit” countries. Member States should show more mutual solidarity in taking the responsibility for asylum requests

 Borders

 The EGP favours an EU-competency for surveillance of external borders of the Union, in order not to overwhelm border-countries. Frontex has to acknowledge the International Refugee Conventions and the European Convention on Human Rights.

 Detention

 The European Greens oppose the principle of detaining persons not found guilty of any crime but who just violated an administrative.

 Assistance to irregular migrants

 Helping undocumented migrants should be tolerated and not considered a crime. Captains who rescue boat people should not be punished by law.