Caritas Europa urges governments to resettle more refugees
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Brussels, 29 March 2012 - Caritas Europa welcomes a new EU adoption of the resettlement programme, but insists on the need for political will of member states to resettle more refugees. “Europe should definitely show more solidarity by resettling more refugees” says Caritas Europa's policy and advocacy officer in an interview with Euronews.
The European Parliament approved the 'Joint European Union Resettlement Programme', which establishes common priorities and financial support for member states welcoming resettled refugees on their territory.
Caritas Europa welcomes the adoption of the resettlement programme, but insists on the need for political will of member states to resettle refugees.
Around 85% of the world’s refugees are in developing countries. The receiving countries have limited resources and cannot integrate and protect large numbers of refugees. Resettlement is one of the three durable solutions for refugees, promoted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Resettlement applies to people who have been granted refugee status in third countries (for example, Libyan refugees in Tunisia), but who cannot be integrated in that country.
“Europe should definitely show more solidarity by resettling more refugees” said Caritas Europa's policy and advocacy officer, Karolina Babicka.
“In 2010, EU member states resettled around 4,700 people, representing only 4.4% of those resettled worldwide that year, far behind the U.S. (near 54,000 refugees) and Canada (around 6,700),” she said.
“Member States now have until 1 May to send the European Commission an estimate number of people they will resettle next year. Caritas Europa strongly encourages member states to increase the numbers of refugees they plan to resettle in 2013. This should be complemented with an integration policy involving civil society organisations and local and regional authorities.”
For more information on the EU's financial incentives for resettlement, click here.
Euronews interviewed Caritas Europa on this issue, see here.
For more information:
In Brussels
Thorfinnur Omarsson
Tel: +32 4 73341393
Caritas Europa