New Frontex that overrides national competences ‘unacceptable’ – Sant

Labour MEP Alfred Sant said a new EU coast guard with the power to override national competences was not acceptable, in statements he made in the European Parliament to discuss the forthcoming European Council meeting discussing the fight against terrorism, and migration among other matters.

“Most states at the EU’s so-called external borders are small and have limited resources. What is being proposed, unless radically amended, amounts to a further reduction of their sovereignty without any transparent counterbalancing measures that would ensure the burdens of immigration are being contained and fairly distributed,” the MEP said.

Sant said the EU needed a functioning migration and asylum policy to underpin the Schengen system. “We obviously do not have it. The proposal to create a new, stronger Frontex is another proposal in firefighting mode. It aims to staunch the flow of migrants and refugees that has become uncontrollable in past months.”

Sant called for stronger, more effective border controls and greater coherence in the formulation of migration policies. “These cannot be simply packaged in beautiful statements about solidarity and European values, while lacking the tools to manage them. Nor can migration policies simply be declared unilaterally, provoking greater problems, and then expecting border states to assume full responsibility. The latter would then need to mobilise additional own financial resources, even as Dublin 2 remains in force.”