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Migration and Asylum Making Border Security Efficient and More Humane

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Migration and Asylum Making Border Security Efficient and More Humane Independent Review on European Security and Defence Volume N° 39 Migration and Asylum Making border security efficient and more humane Interview on migration, border security and asylum Jean Asselborn, Gerald Knaus, Minister of Foreign and European Founding Chairman of the Affairs, Minister of Immigration European Stability Initiative (ESI), and Asylum, Luxembourg Berlin www.magazine-the-european.com Edition 2/2021 Editorial Humane aspects of border security nyone who has a well-founded fear of being perse- one common issue: how to strike an appro- Acuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, mem- priate balance between humanity at their bership of a particular social group or political opinion borders and the legitimate desire to protect should be protected by the Geneva Refugee Convention their security? which celebrates its 70th anniversary on 28th July 2021. Member States of the European Union photo: private, LISphoto.com photo: private, Any person meeting these universal criteria is a refugee have shared competence on immigration Hartmut Bühl and should never be pushed back into a situation and must abide by its principles. There are where they risk persecution and serious harm. precise rules concerning, for instance, the free move- This radical new idea of protecting refugees was born ment of people (blue card). Member States do not have of the experiences of the second world war and, over much leeway in applying these rules, but they have the years, it has become a universal value. The non-re- much more leeway on irregular immigration. And there foulement principle – no-pushbacks-rule – is the core lies the problem. of this convention and also applies to people who face The proposal for a New Pact on Migration and Asylum torture and inhumane treatment, the death penalty and was launched last September by the Commission. Its indiscriminate violence in situations of armed conflict. aim is to forge consensus among Member States and The implementation of this global system to protect put an end to their current divergences on migration refugees has always been patchy and its rules have policies. been violated continuously since it entered into force in The Commission’s proposal is very ambitious with, first- 1951. However, in spite of its deficiencies, the non-re- ly, the challenge imposed by the Council to achieve con- foulement principle has saved millions of lives across sensus, and secondly, the call on nations to agree to a the world and will continue to do so. package approach on the main issues of the pact, like We know only too well, however, that pushbacks are the compulsory border procedures, which are refused still being carried out everywhere, even by Member by most of the States in the South, and the solidarity States of the European Union. Harrowing scenes show- mechanism with its concept of return sponsorship, ing the Spanish border police roughly pushing back vigorously rejected by the Visegrad States in the East. thousands of people at the border between Spain and The continuing divergences of Member States on migra- the enclave of Ceuta were broadcast around the world tion and asylum is not only a question of humanity and after the Moroccan government opened the border in solidarity, it touches on the very credibility of our Union. order to put pressure on Spain because of its policy It seems to me that the Union is not yet ripe for this towards the Polisario movement. Pressuring Spain great leap forward, and there will inevitably be further in this way is tantamount to pressuring the European intense discussions, including moratoria. However, Union, in the same way that Turkey’s President Erdogan what each Member State might at least do in the mean- is blackmailing Europe. Is this twin strategy about to time is verify if people in danger are being treated with destabilise the European Union? humanity at its borders. Nations need borders and it is for them to determine the kind of borders they want. Societies in general want secure borders, but they also have a feeling of empathy, the basis for responsible and humane border control. Throughout the world, nations have problems with their border regime. The reasons are manifold but there is IMPRESSUM: The European − Security and Defence Union Headquarters: International Consulting Editorial Assistant: Céline Merz, Linz a. Rhein (GE) 6, Rue du Château, F 28260 Berchères-sur-Vesgre (FR) E-Mail: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] Translator: Miriam Newman-Tancredi, Strasbourg (FR) and London (GB) Publisher and Editor in Chief: Hartmut Bühl, Berchères-sur-Vesgre (FR) Layout: Beate Dach, SpreeService, Berlin (GE) Phone: +49/172 32 82 319 Advertisement & Sales: Hartmut Bühl, Berchères-sur-Vesgre (FR) E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: +49/172 32 82 319 Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Nannette Cazaubon, Paris (FR) Print: Polyprint GmbH (GE) E-Mail: [email protected] © 2021 by International Consulting, France 3 THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION Vol. No. 39 21–38 Content MAIN TOPIC: Migration and Asylum 3 Editorial, Hartmut Bühl 6 News, Nannette Cazaubon How to make borders more humane 8–20 In the Spotlight The renewal of transatlantic relations 20 Books & publications Gerald Knaus’ book on flight, migration and asylum 8 Stepping up: a stronger Europe for stronger transatlantic 22 Migration, border security and asylum security and defence More humanity at Europe’s borders The EU will need to assume greater responsibility Interview with Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg, by Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, Munich and Gerald Knaus, Berlin 10 America is back to world policy 26 Between solidarity and responsability Significant political polarisation in the US The New Pact on Migration and Asylum Interview with Michael Singh, Washington, D.C. by Stefanie Buzmaniuk and Ramona Bloj, Paris 13 NATO summit 2021 28 Environmental migration – multifarious solutions Documentation to engage now Avoiding the worst possible scenarios 14 The role of third states in guiding the EU’s security policy by Mariam Traore Chazalnoel and Dina Ionesco, Geneva Strategic orientation towards the Middle East by Christopher Eid, France 30 Frontex’s role in safeguarding European security Border management in transformation 16 Afghanistan – a loss of Western credibility by Fabrice Leggeri, Warsaw Commentary by Hartmut Bühl, Paris 17 Green Deal: the Commission’s “Fit for 55” package Documentation 18 Defeating Covid-19 through worldwide common digital procedures Synchronising all processes Interview with Dr Dirk Wössner, Koblenz photo: © 8880 - stock.adobe.com (cover); Auswaertiges Amt/photothek (left); Nikos Pilos (right); page4: ©European Union, 2021/EC – Audiovisual Service/Dati Bendo; page 4-5: Flavio Gasperini SOS MEDITERRANEE page 5: © Operation IRINI, 2021 /Francesco Natale /Source: EC – Audiovisual Service 4 Content 39–52 Security and defence The CSDP is developing 32 The displaced – a continuous failing of the global community How to restore humanity and hope 40 EU Satellite Centre: operational support to the CFSP by Andrea Quaden, Syria and CSDP Actionable geospatial intelligence analysis 34 The castaways of hell by Sorin Ducaru, Madrid The death rate is increasing by François Thomas, Marseille 42 An integrated approach for sustainable security The CSDP continues to develop 36 The EU migration policy we need by Vice Admiral Hervé Bléjean, Brussels An asylum system needs an ethic concept by Panagiotis Nikas, Athens 44 Shaping the role of the EU in armament cooperation and export The community path remains taboo by Maria Camello and Federico Santopinto, Brussels 46 Specificities of German parliamentary democracy in armaments policy Reliability is key in cooperation by Dr Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann MdB, Berlin 48 The French-German armament cooperation: difficult but essential for Europe Diverging strategic objectives by Patrick Bellouard, Paris, and Cyrille Schott, Strasbourg The European – Security and Defence Union is the 49 War in a robotic age winner of the 2011 European Award for Citizenship, Pandora’s box is already open Security and Defence, and was awarded in 2019 the by Israel Rafalovich, Brussels Jury’s Special Prize of the same competition. photo: © 8880 - stock.adobe.com (cover); Auswaertiges Amt/photothek (left); Nikos Pilos (right); page4: ©European Union, 2021/EC – Audiovisual Service/Dati Bendo; page 4-5: Flavio Gasperini SOS MEDITERRANEE page 5: © Operation IRINI, 2021 /Francesco Natale /Source: EC – Audiovisual Service 5 THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION Cyber security Covid-19 vaccination Josep Borrell criticises The European Civil Protection Mechanism supports China countries in need (Ed/nc) On 17th July, EU High Represent- (Ed/nc) Through the European ative Josep Borrell made a declaration Civil Protection Mechanism, the on behalf of the EU urging China to take European Commission has so far action against cyber-attacks undertaken supported the sharing of over 3m from its territory. He announced that EU Covid-19 vaccines by Member Member States, together with partners, States with countries outside the were exposed to malicious cyber activi- EU. The delivery is coordinated by ties that significantly affected their econ- the Commission which finances up omy, security, democracy and society to 75% of the costs of transport. and that the EU assesses these attacks to Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner have been carried out from the territory of for Crisis Management said: “EU China. Borrell also stated that malicious Member States continue to sup- port global vaccination efforts. 3m vaccines have al-ready been photo: ©Near - stock.adobe.com facilitated via the European Civil Protection Mechanism. I thank all countries for showing their solidarity. Vaccination for all is essential to beat this pandemic.” To date, EU Member States have pledged over 159m vaccine doses with countries outside the EU via Covax, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, or bilaterally. Member States have also delivered millions of masks, protective suits, disinfectants, and other support such as ambulances and ventilators to countries in need.
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