Minister Mallia calls on EU for ‘fair responsibility-sharing’

Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Emmanuel Mallia, called on the European Union to step up its effort to help alleviate countries such as Malta, facing pressures ‘due to high numbers of asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection’. Minister Mallia was speaking during a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, in Brussels, during which the establishment of a Common European Asylum System and Schengen governance was discussed. Dr Mallia stressed that such a situation experienced by certain countries, cannot be adequately tackled through ‘harmonised legislation’ but through ‘fair responsibility-sharing’. Home Affairs Ministers discussed the establishment of a Common European Asylum System (CEAS), where the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union briefed Member States on the final steps being taken to complete the legislative framework. The scope of the CEAS is to further harmonise national asylum legislation through five legislative instruments. During the meeting, Ministers were also informed about the state of play on two legislative proposals making up the Schengen Governance package, namely a draft Regulation establishing a mechanism to verify the correct application of the Schengen acquis by Member States and an amendment to the Schengen Borders Code. The Council and the European Parliament have reached an agreement on this package and it is expected that it will be adopted by Parliament in July and by Council in the Autumn. Amongst other issues which were discussed by Ministers was the civil war in Syria. In particular, Member States discussed what the EU can do to continue to bolster its humanitarian assistance. Ministers also held a discussion on the threats posed by European foreign fighters in countries such as Syria - particularly upon return to the EU. Minister Mallia was accompanied at the Council meeting by the Permanent Representative of Malta to the EU, Ambassador Marlene Bonnici.