“Finally we move in the direction outlined by the European Parliament.”
This was the first reaction by European Parliament President David Sassoli on the agreement reached today in Valletta between four EU countries: France, Germany, Italy and Malta, on the redistribution of asylum seekers arriving in Europe across the Mediterranean.
“Whoever lands in a European country arrives in Europe. The redistribution of asylum seekers between all member states should happen in a regulated way and no longer on an ad hoc, voluntary basis. These are the fundamental principles the European Parliament called for in its proposal for reform of the Dublin Regulation,” added the President.
“Today’s agreement shows that Europe can only move forward when it combines responsibility with respect for human dignity and the principle of solidarity. I am sure that Parliament and the European Commission will work to broaden the agreement to the other countries of the European Union.”
