Relocation on the agenda

Refugee children at a reception centre in Romania. Photo: UNHCR/B. Szandelszky

In her speech at the event, Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström pointed out that relocation is an important gesture of solidarity, especially in light of the present refugee crisis in Syria, and that more EU States should take part:

"The instrument of relocation could give a very good opportunity for those Members States who have few asylum seekers to take more responsibility in our common system. It is also an opportunity to gradually build up a fully functioning reception system. Some of the Member States today are truly in need of help, and others can therefore make an important contribution by alleviating others", Malmström said.

Some EU Member States are against relocation as a concept, as they view it as a pull-factor for refugees. In her speech at the Relocation Forum, Commissioner Malmström pointed out that such fears are unsubstantiated.

"We have no desire to create pull factors and no desire for people to undertake unnecessarily hazardous journeys across the Sahara and the Mediterranean. But we should not refuse to show solidarity to another Member State because we decide that relocation creates a pull factor when we have no evidence to substantiate that claim", Malmström said in her speech.

She went on to point out that relocation of refugees and beneficiaries of international protection is not an alternative to improving the quality of Member States' own asylum systems.

"Relocation is not an alternative to getting your house in order. It is, however, a true expression of solidarity and I do hope that many Member States can take part", Malmström said.