• COMECE Secretary General Fr Patrick H. Daly reacts to the publication today of the European Commission’s Communication ‘Agenda on Migration’:

    ‘COMECE, which has European migration and asylum policies as a central concern, welcomes the concrete proposals issued today by the EU Commission. They represent a significant step forward in tackling the repeated tragedies in the Mediterranean. The proposals formulated by the EU Commission, if adopted by the EU Member Sates, would reflect a commitment to solidarity among member sates and a desire to alleviate unacceptable levels of human suffering among men and women seeking asylum on our continent.

    It would therefore be important for the Member States to consider these proposals as part of a systemic overhaul of a migration policy which is acknowledged to fall short, up to now, of the standards a civilized society has the right to expect. Many citizens across the European Union are scandalized by the lack of EU response and solidarity in recent months to the refugee crisis, especially in Italy, Greece and other countries which are reaching the limits of their capacities of welcoming refugees.

    Finally the EU Commission and the Member States should elaborate more systematically and clearly a link between Migration and development policies, in dialogue with third countries.‘

    Source: COMECE