The Portuguese government warned this Wednesday of the need to combat the “scandalous business” of human trafficking to Europe, support migrants’ countries of origin and expand “legal channels” of migration.
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this problem,” Secretary of State for European Affairs Thiago Antunes said this Wednesday during a hearing of the parliamentary European Affairs Committee ahead of an informal meeting of the European Council this Friday. in Granada, Spain.
The Portuguese executive emphasizes the need to “fight the phenomenon of human trafficking that exploits people in vulnerable situations, putting them in life-threatening situations, as was the case in the absolutely tragic shipwrecks.”
It is necessary to “put an end to this completely illegal and scandalous business,” the official defended.
On the other hand, the European Union must “work with countries of origin and transit to try to find solutions that address the causes of migration phenomena and guarantee development conditions in these countries that will avoid these phenomena,” he said.
At the same time, Europe faces demographic challenges such as a lack of youth and an aging population, and is in need of a workforce, Thiago Antunes recalled.
“It is necessary to expand legal channels of migration and guarantee a safe and regular way to receive the migrants we need for our basic needs and the functioning of our economy and society,” he said.
PS MP Romuald Fernandez condemned the “terrible loss of life resulting from countless tragedies in the Mediterranean.”
“We all apologize, but there are no measures (…) and migration flows continue to grow at the external borders of the European Union,” he believes, noting that “migration policy cannot provide only security measures, but also take into account the possibilities of socio-economic development in countries of origin and establish a close connection between countries of origin and emigration.”
In his response, Thiago Antunes emphasized that this is “a European challenge that requires European responses,” saying: “We must ensure that the Mediterranean is not a cemetery.”
The government official expressed “relative optimism that by the end of this European legislature the legislative work on the Migration and Asylum Pact will be completed”, which he stressed would be “very significant progress”.
This Wednesday, the European Union (EU) closed the Pact on Migration and Asylum, agreeing at ambassadorial level on a crisis management agreement.
“Representatives of EU member states reached agreement this Wednesday on the final pillar of a common European asylum and migration policy,” the EU Council said in a statement.
At a meeting of the Council’s Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper, made up of ambassadors from the 27 EU countries), member states agreed on a negotiating mandate on “a regulation dealing with crisis situations, including the use of migration instruments and force majeure on the ground.” migration and asylum”.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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