Tineke Strik exposes Europe's dodgy migration deals

Refugees have the right to protection. But the European Union is outsourcing its responsibility to offer protection to people who have fled their homes for violence and persecution. By making deals with countries like Libya, Turkey and Afghanistan the EU is paying countries to prevent refugees from departing and to take them back from the EU.

Concluding migration deals does not mean that Europe can shy away from its human rights obligations, but this happens more and more. Projects financed by Europe lead to situations where refugees are mistreated or detained in miserable circumstances, for example in the detention centres of Libya.

As a consequence of EU policy, refugees get stuck in transit countries where the asylum systems are not sufficient: those countries already host 85% of the world’s forcibly displaced people. Many refugees therefore suffer from decent accommodation, food and medical care, and are not able to build a sustainable future with access for their children to school and access to work.

Tineke Strik stands up for the rights of refugees

Tineke Strik, Member of the European Parliament for the Greens/EFA has written a report for the Human Rights Committee with recommendations in order to prevent the EU from concluding migration deals if they would lead to human rights violations. She stands up for the rights of refugees. Her aim is to tell the human story behind these migration deals and to hold European policymakers accountable for their decisions, politically, but also financially and legally.

The European Union is spending a lot of money on these migration deals, but it is difficult for politicians or journalists to construct the whole picture. Instead of official agreements, the EU concludes informal arrangements with third countries, and financial resources are taken from different funds, often at the cost of development aid.

We have a common responsibility to offer refugees a positive perspective. We need to improve the conditions in refugee camps, with access to education and work. And we need to invite the most vulnerable people to travel to Europe. That is what taking responsibility should mean.