Ahead of the Special European Council meeting on 9-10 February, socialists and democrats are urging EU leaders to commit to finding an agreement on new EU migration and asylum rules before the current term of the European Parliament ends in 2024. 

In today’s plenary debate dedicated to migration and asylum, S&D MEPs are warning against the right wing obsession with building anti-migrant walls and they urge the Commission’s leadership not to cave in to the EPP party’s policy leap to the right that would use EU funds to build a Fortress Europe. 

The S&D Group will instead use the debate to call on EU governments to reach a consensus around a mechanism based on true solidarity that shares responsibility for relocating refugees and asylum-seekers. With demographic change on the horizon and labour shortages already on Europe’s doorstep, S&D MEPs believe it is time to talk about immigration as a solution and to push ahead with EU legislation to attract migrant workers.

Iratxe García, S&D president said:

“The next European Council cannot be an empty summit. EU leaders must show a clear commitment to conclude the new migration and asylum pact before the end of the legislature. The social democratic family are ready to reach an agreement that includes a mechanism based on true solidarity in which each Member State assumes its share of responsibility. Now, the Swedish Presidency must act swiftly and decisively to see this process through.

“Fleeing war, terrorism or persecution – many refugees and internally displaced people risk their lives on land and sea on their way to Europe. Our responsibility is to welcome them so that they can have a dignified life.

“Criminalising NGOs and constructing walls, a doctrine promoted by the right and the far right, will never be able to erase the reality that European society is and will always be diverse. We need not change the diversity of our societies, but we do need to change how migration is managed and show it has a clearly positive impact on our daily life.”