CEAS: A huge step backwards for European refugee protection

Equal Rights Beyond Borders,  a Greek-German human rights organisation enforcing the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Greece, Germany, and throughout the EU  has described the approval of the New Migration and Asylum Pact as a a huge step backwards for European refugee protection and the rule of law.

It said the Provisions are poorly constructed, confusing and do not offer one thing: reliability and legal certainty.

A statement by the organisation reads: “EU Parliament has approved the changes to the  #CEAS. This is no longer surprising, but a huge step backwards for European refugee protection and the rule of law. @ABaerbock believes that it is time to “create reliable regulations” and “proof our ability to act” .

“It is unclear how the rules are reliable being based on concepts that have failed long ago. Border procedures, cooperation with third countries, all this already existed (keyword: EU-Turkey deal), none of this has worked to any extent – and is now supposed to be a blueprint.

Provisions are poorly constructed, confusing and do not offer one thing: reliability and legal certainty. The “package” propagated by the Commission is an incoherent patchwork that focuses primarily on segregation and deterrence and attempts to reduce protection standards to the minimum at – a tightrope walk on the very edge of human rights and far beyond.”

 The pact, it said contains numerous human rights violations and rules that make violations more likely, give states a free hand and expose protection seekers to complete arbitrariness.

“The only ability to act that is shown is symbolic. The law is doomed to fail – states will not implement the CEAS, courts will identify human rights barriers and partially override the rules. The rule of law and the law itself will suffer as it is delegitimized by the reform.

“On the other hand, it is the people who have become the mere object of the reform, who are to be banished to the external border and disappear from sight and from mind who will suffer. We will stand up for their human rights.”