MEP welcomes new EU measures on migration

MEP Simon Busuttil welcomed the EU's communication on intra-EU solidarity as a milestone for burden sharing and for solidarity with member states such as Malta, which face disproportionate pressures from migration flows due to their geographical location.

Busuttil said that the EU's communication sets out a legal framework for a permanent burden sharing mechanism between EU Member States.

The Natioanlist MEP said that these measures aim to make it easier to send officials of the European Asylum Support Office to help member states facing particular pressures

Busuttil said these measures will also ensure that more funds are made available to member states, whilst making such funds more flexible.

"The measures will also encourage the relocation of beneficiaries of international protection amongst EU Member States, notably through EU financial assistance," Busuttil said.

Busuttil added that the announced measures also introduce an early warning and evaluation mechanism in order to identify problems before it is too late.

Busuttil said the European Parliament will follow up the communication in order to see that these measures are improved on the basis of the experience of countries such as Malta and also to see that they are established as soon as possible.

"Our efforts throughout the past years have finally led the EU to move from words to action. Solidarity and burden sharing are no longer vague ideas.  They have become a reality which will soon be entrenched in EU law," Busuttil said.

"This also shows that our method of working yields results. This communication has not been the result of threats from our side, but of our capacity to convince the EU and other Member States, on the basis of reason and sound arguments, that we need help," he added.

Busuttil also welcomed Germany's recent action of taking up 152 migrants from Malta.