Skip to content
European Greens
  • News
  • Vision
    • Positions
    • Manifesto
    • Resolutions
    • Podcasts
  • Member parties
  • About
    • Organisation
    • Job opportunities
    • Tenders
    • Programmes and networks
    • Contact
  • Events
  • Get Involved
  • Home
  • /Vision
  • /Resolutions
  • /The migration crisis in the Ca...

The migration crisis in the Canary Islands

Since the beginning of the year, Spain has had to deal with an unprecedented wave of immigrants from sub-Saharian Africa.  The desperation of Africa’s people has grown, and the closing of borders has made their immigration routes much more dangerous, when none of the immigrants from sub-Saharian Africa has any legal means of entry into Spain.

From January 1st to August 29th of this year, 19,035 illegal immigrants have reached the shores of the Canary Islands, and 11 boats have been shipwrecked, with 262 dead and 490 dying in their desperate attempt to enter Europe.

Only 4.5% of all immigrants reach Spain through the Canary Islands, and  the large majority of them arrive by air and road; the central issue, therefore, is not so much in the number of people arriving (which, however, has undergone a spectacular increase during mid-year)  but rather how and in what conditions they arrive, risking their lives and making it quite plain that migration policies that are  based only on  repressive measures with the aim of constituting a “Fortress Europe” have failed miserably.

The new measures being announced by the Spanish government and the European Union are even more worrying, as they not only serve to block borders but also to besiege sub-Saharian Africa, by preventing people from leaving these countries and openly violating the rights of individuals to leave their country, not only to survive, but also to gain access to a decent standard of living (as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

The European Union must tackle the phenomenon of immigration from a generous standpoint with respect to all those countries which, like Spain, are the gateway to Europe, by implementing a change in European migration policy within a context in which immigration is laying the foundations for economic growth or the surplus in the Social Security system. 

Until such time as a European migration model is defined, The European Green Party asks the EU to increase political and economic aid to Spain with respect to cooperative migration with sub-Saharian Africa, along the following basic lines:

  1. The establishment of stable routes of entry with countries from sub-Saharian Africa in collaboration with other EU member states. The reinforcement of human and material resources in immigrant offices and entry through work research Visas, with the aim of achieving decent employment conditions and reducing the action of illegal networks.

  1. The inclusion of the condition of strict compliance with human rights in border controls in all agreements signed with other countries.

  2. Guaranteeing personalised legal aid to sub-Saraharian immigrants to ensure that their rights to asylum and refuge status are respected in full, offering solutions to all those who arrive with an order of expulsion, who should not be expelled.

  1. The development of a welcome programme for all sub-Saharians who cannot be expelled and who remain in Spain for at least 12 weeks, in order to offer them a basic knowledge of the language and basic professional training.

  1. The creation of a comprehensive welcome system with a longer term for minors and pregnant women.

  1. Providing registration cards to all sub-Saharian immigrants who cannot be expelled, in addition to giving them a temporary work permit. 

  1. Significantly increasing labour inspection resources in order to detect the exploitation of foreign workers and prevent the call effect which leads to the understanding that it is possible to work in Spain illegally. 

Adopted AtGeneva 2006
Date16 Oct 2006

Downloads

EN

More resolutions

See all resolutions
resolution
Geneva 2006
The migration crisis in the Canary Islands
Related Downloads
EN
resolution
Geneva 2006
EGP Proactive Carbon Emission Offsetting
Related Downloads
EN
resolution
Geneva 2006
Irish Government’s Failure to Meet Kyoto Obligations
Related Downloads
EN
See all resolutions

European Greens Footer

Our Partners

Green European FederationYoung European GreensGreens-EFAGlobal Greens

Site map

VISION

  • Vision
  • News
  • Press releases
  • Podcasts
  • Resolutions and policy papers
  • Manifesto

MEMBER PARTIES

  • Member parties

ABOUT

  • Organisation
  • Committee
  • Staff
  • Job opportunities
  • Campaigns and working groups
  • Contact

GET INVOLVED

  • Programmes and networks
  • Donate

EVENTS

  • Events

Be a part of the Europe you want to build.

© 2024 European Greens
Rue du Taciturne 34 B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
T +32 (0) 2 626 07 20
info@europeangreens.eu

European Parliament

With the financial support of the European Parliament. Sole liability remains with the author. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

Follow InstagramFollow TikTokFollow BlueskyFollow TwitterFollow FacebookFollow LinkedinFollow Flickr
Privacy PolicyBuilt by Tectonica