(Brussels) The European Parliament “points out that the driving factors of migration from third countries are mainly violent conflict, persecution, inequality, terrorism, repressive regimes, natural disasters, crises caused by man and chronic poverty”; “it reminds us that asylum seekers and migrants keep dying and are exposed to multiple risks in the attempt to illegally cross the EU borders”; “it expresses concern for the fact that several member states have toughened their political approaches to asylum and migration and that some member states do not fully meet their obligations in these respects”. This is written in the report drawn up by MEP Frank Engel about fundamental rights in the EU, which will be submitted to the plenary meeting of the European Parliament in Brussels tomorrow, February 28^th. The document “calls the EU and its member states to put solidarity and respect for the fundamental rights of migrants and asylum seekers at the centre of their common migration policies”; it recommends that migrants’ rights, especially the rights of women and children who are exposed to exploitation and trafficking, be respected; “it is concerned for the wide gaps that exist in the conditions for acceptance that are offered by some member states, and for the fact some member states do not always give people seeking international protection a proper, dignified treatment”.
The report asks that “safe, legal migratory channels be built”, and it states that “the best way to protect the rights of citizens who cannot legally enter Europe is to address the deep causes of migration”. The report says that “it is unacceptable that some member states claim migration is not their concern”, thus actually avoiding to charitably handle such phenomenon. The long document about fundamental rights in the EU also mentions the issues of the refugees’ cultural, social and religious inclusion; “it expresses concern for the alarming rise in episodes of instigation and incitement to hatred and in fake news”; it condemns “episodes about hate crimes and incitement to hatred based on racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance or prejudice towards people because of their disabilities, sexual orientation or gender identity, which happen every day in the EU”.