European politicians back ‘historic’ shake-up of migration and asylum laws

Pact involves cutting security waiting times but also increasing numbers sent back

The package of bills has passed after nearly a decade of feuds between the 27 member states (EU Parliament)

European politicians have voted to revamp the bloc’s migration and asylum laws in what was hailed as a “historic” pact.

The package of bills agreed promises to cut times for security and asylum procedures and increase returns to reduce unwanted immigration from the Middle East and Africa, a high priority on the EU’s agenda.

It includes developing the European criminal records information system for “third country” nationals at the EU’s external borders.

A Syrian migrant helps children get off of an inflatable boat after it arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos, after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey (Getty)

After nearly a decade of feuds between the 27 member states, the compromise proposals balance the obligations of arrival countries such as Italy with help from better-off ones such as Germany.

The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, called the pact a historic step that represented solidarity among European states.

“It limits irregular migration and finally relieves the burden on the countries that are particularly badly affected. A historic, indispensable step,” he wrote on social media.

The measures had been attacked by anti-immigration, eurosceptic and far-right parties for not going far enough to stop migration, while leftists and human-rights activists had lambasted it as a blow.

Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament president, wrote: “History made. We have delivered a robust legislative framework on how to deal with migration and asylum in the EU.

“It has been more than 10 years in the making. But we kept our word. A balance between solidarity and responsibility. This is the European way.”

Tomas Tobé, a Swedish centre-right European People’s Party MEP, said: “Now the EU can regain control of our external borders, reduce economic migration and put in place a common migration policy that is well functioning and fit for the long-term.”

But the Greens in the European Parliament, who opposed the package, said that “the lack of solidarity towards asylum-seekers and between member states” would only worsen.

Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, welcomed the pact as a “step forward towards a more effective, shared asylum system”.

Migration has been a hot issue in the EU since more than a million people – mostly Syrian refugees – arrived across the Mediterranean in 2015, catching the bloc unprepared amid scenes of chaos and suffering.

More than 46,000 people have entered the EU so far this year unofficially, according to UN data, which also suggests 400 people died trying to get in.

The revamp still needs to be approved this month by member states. They would then have two years to implement it, though analysts warn not to expect major changes on the ground overnight.