Question to the Commission on EU-funded detention center in Bosnia

Erik Marquardt on August 3, 2023

On April 19, I sent the following question to the Commission. The Commission has again taken more time than it should to reply. In the meantime Bosnian politician announces end of prison facilitybecause there is no legal basis for it. My question about the problematic wording of the Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is simply ignored by him.

My request

In November 2022, Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi visited Bosnia and Herzegovina and announced that an additional EUR 500,000 will be used for the Lipa camp and detention center in order to âfake asylum seekersâ can be imprisoned[1]until they are returned to their countries of origin. The EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Johann Sattler, on the other hand, said last weekthat people may be detained there for a maximum of 72 hours. The EU funds for Lipa come from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).

The cantonal authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina state that the construction permit for the detention center in Lipa camp was never issued. The Prime Minister of Una-Sana Canton publicly expresses his concern about the lack of information about the object. Please answer the following questions individually.

  • 1.What is the Commission's view of the term âfake asylum seekersâ and how do they differ from âcorrectâ asylum seekers?
  • How many people can be detained in the Lipa camp and for what purpose, and how is it ensured that the money is not used for the detention of persons previously illegally deported from the EU by Croatian authorities?
  • 3.in the Commission's view, is the treatment of persons in the Lipa camp in accordance with EU and international law?

Answer given by Olivér Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission (2.08.2023)

It is one of the priorities of the EU, in accordance with international law, the principles and values of the EU and the protection of fundamental rights, as stated in the letters of the President of the Commission to the Council, The recent conclusions of the European Council and the EU Action Plan for the Western Balkans. Improve border management, ensure faster asylum procedures, combat migrant smuggling, and promote cooperation on readmission and return in order to counter irregular migration via the Western Balkan route.

The multifunctional reception and identification center in Lipa serves several purposes: Migrants are registered, their status is determined, and their identity is verified upon arrival and departure from the center. The center has significantly improved conditions for migrants and averted another humanitarian crisis, like the one in the winter of 2020â2021. At that time, several migrants were stranded without shelter in devastating conditions. The center is under the authority of the Foreigners Authority of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and can accommodate up to 1,500 people.

The new detention facility in Lipa will be a separate and fully self-contained facility that can accommodate up to twelve persons. In certain cases, in line with international standards and the EU acquis, temporary restrictions on freedom of movement and detention measures can be introduced here before the persons concerned are transferred to the immigration center in Lukavica (East Sarajevo). The Law on Foreigners (âZakon o strancimaâ) of BiH defines the circumstances under which the restriction of free movement can be approved. As immigration centers must comply with BiH legislation and international humanitarian standards, the EU regularly seeks information from authorities and partners on the management of the centers and frequently conducts on-site visits.

European Parliament calls for sea rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea

Erik Marquardt on 15 July 2023

Finally! The EU Parliament has in a resolution clearly spoken out in favor of an EU sea rescue mission. In addition, we demand, among other things, that information about sea rescue cases be shared immediately, that the criminalization of sea rescue organizations be refrained from and that ships be allowed into the next safe port after sea rescues.
I negotiated the resolution for our group and even if we cannot immediately force the Member States to implement the measures, it is a clear sign of where the majority in Europe stands.

The deaths in the Mediterranean cannot be tolerated any longer.

I took the cover photo on a sea rescue mission after we gave people life jackets. Often on the overcrowded inflatable boats you can hardly see a piece of boat – only dozens of people in acute danger of their lives. This reality that every day is decided on life or death of many people at our external borders and the decision is too often that people just have to die in case of doubt, that must never become normal. But it has become normal and we have to change that again. Parliament's decision unfortunately does not bring about any concrete change, because Parliament cannot decide on operations and has only very limited powers in this area. But it does increase the pressure on the heads of state and government and sends a clear signal against right-wing populism.

Here are some of the demands from the resolution

  • We call for an EU maritime rescue mission.
  • Member States and the EU should finally comply with applicable international law and come to the aid of people in distress at sea.
  • We demand that the Commission creates a new, reliable and sustainable approach that ensures sea rescue and that we are no longer constantly dependent on ad-hoc solutions. The Commission should provide material, financial and operational support for this.
  • Member States and Frontex should proactively operate search and rescue missions and provide or deploy all necessary and available boats and equipment to save lives.
  • All Mediterranean states and Frontex should share or provide information on sea emergencies to ensure rescue.
  • Rescued people should be assigned to the nearest safe haven.
  • The Commission should set up a sea rescue contact group to coordinate missions by Frontex and member states and regularly inform the Parliament about it.
  • Frontex should share information about its operations and comply with Union law, just as member states do.
  • The Commission must ensure that Frontex and Member States only enter safe ports after rescue and do not expose asylum seekers to danger.
  • The dead of Pylos should be recovered, identified, their relatives informed and more bodies searched for. The survivors must be distributed in solidarity in the EU.
  • We advocate that safe escape routes are the best way to prevent deaths and therefore call for humanitarian corridors.

Here you can find the complete text on german and english.

Exhibition: "1000 Dreams"- Refugees portray refugees 

Erik Marquardt on 13 July 2023

At the beginning of the July plenary week, in cooperation with Witness Change and the Heinrich Böll Foundation Thessaloniki opened a photo exhibition of individual stories of refugees in the Parliament. 

Against the backdrop of the current debates on the reform of the EU asylum system, it is important to keep reminding that behind technical discussions on refugee numbers, distribution mechanisms and border procedures are individual people who will be directly affected by these decisions. Many people in Europe rarely come into contact with refugees. Our views of them are often formed from what we hear, read, or see from others, as well as from media coverage and social media. In doing so, we must make an effort to listen to refugees. 

1000 Dreams

This is where the project "1000 Dreams" From Witness Change an. Refugees should have their say and tell their stories. Refugees should not be seen as a homogeneous group, but as individuals with talents, dreams and needs. More than 50 storytellers with a refugee background have already taken part in workshops in Athens, Lesbos and London, among other places. In workshops, they practice taking portraits and conducting interviews. All photo shoots and interviews that make up 1000 Dreams are thus conducted and created by refugees with refugees. Over 800 contributions and portraits have been created in this way so far. It should become 1000. In Strasbourg we have exhibited 20. 

Exhibition Strasbourg

For the opening, storytellers Zahra Mojahed, Elsayed Elsehamy Abdelhamid and Mirza Durakovic came to Strasbourg to share their personal life stories and tell us about their work on the project. For Witness Change, founder Robin Hammond and William Lounsbury as director of the 1000 Dreams project were present to open the exhibition together with Neda Noraie-Kia and Chrysiis Katsea from the Heinrich Böll Foundation Thessaloniki and me. 

After the official opening, all guests and attendees had the opportunity to get to know the individual portraits and stories behind the photographs, as well as the storytellers and project initiators. 

In addition to the exhibition in the Parliament, the 20 portraits will also be on display for a few weeks in Strasbourg City Hall.

Study: Legal vacuum – Criminalization of refugees in Greece

Erik Marquardt on July 6, 2023

The study is in german, English and greek Language available.

The study I commissioned from Borderline Europe analyzes the criminalization of refugees as suspected smugglers in Greece. 

Trials last an average of 37 minutes, with the average prison sentence being 46 years. Most individuals are convicted based on the testimony of a police or coast guard person, who in 68 percent of cases is not even present during the proceedings. Persons convicted of smuggling are the second largest group in Greek prisons. These individuals are usually arrested immediately upon arrival, held in pre-trial detention for months, and have very limited opportunities to defend themselves

The judiciary is politically instrumentalized

These sentences are disproportionate and have no comprehensible connection to the crime of which the people are accused. The Greek judiciary is being politically instrumentalized to deter people from fleeing.

The people who drive the boat get discounts from the tugboats, they are mostly not tugboats themselves. The proceedings in which these accusations are heard are very short and violate basic standards of the rule of law. This is an infamous criminalization that the EU Commission and member states like Germany should take action against. 

It would be the task of the EU Commission to exert pressure on Greece so that rule-of-law standards are once again upheld there. Unfortunately, the Commission has so far sided with Greece. It supports the policy of deterrence and isolation of the external border states and looks the other way when people are mistreated there and deprived of their fundamental rights. 

81 Procedure observed

Those affected are usually arrested immediately upon arrival, held in pre-trial detention for months, and have very limited opportunities to defend themselves and receive assistance. The trials in which these charges are heard are very short and violate basic standards of fairness.

The report examines a total of 81 cases against 95 people arrested and tried for smuggling in Greece in eight different locations, namely Komotini, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Samos, Lesvos, Crete, Syros and Kalamata.

The event to present the study will take place her here.

Introduction of digital Schengen visas

Erik Marquardt on July 4, 2023

The Committee on the Interior, in a Vote the negotiation results achieved with the Council on the Introduction of digital Schengen visas confirmed and thus adopted.

It is planned to introduce a QR code similar to the ESTA system in the USA, which will replace the conventional sticker in the passport. A common EU application platform will be set up to make the application and processing accessible online.

As my group's shadow rapporteur, I focused on ensuring that people with limited digital skills and applicants from regions with unstable Internet connections also have access to the digital visa application process. It was also important to me that the personal data of applicants be strongly protected.


No hunger by 2030?

Erik Marquardt on June 5, 2023

On June 2, 2023, we met in Berlin to discuss the state of food security worldwide and the role of the EU in it. For three years, the number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition worldwide has been rising dramatically again. Currently, 828 million people are affected, 10% of the world's population. Although enough food is available worldwide, numerous factors mean that the right to food cannot currently be granted in many countries. 

Together with my colleague Martin Häusling (agricultural policy spokesman for the Greens/EFA), we wanted to put the topic back on the agenda and invited to an exciting exchange. Also on the panel were Sigrid Müller, Deputy Director of the World Food Program Global Office in Germany, and Tobias Reichert, Advisor for Agricultural Policy and World Trade at Germanwatch.

The two inputs of our guests, as well as the entire discussion, can be viewed at here Watch.

We would also like to thank all guests who were on site for the exciting exchange.

Event on the topic „No Hunger by 2030?“

Erik Marquardt on 11 May 2023

For the past three years, the number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition worldwide has been rising dramatically again. Currently, 828 million people are affected, 10% of the world's population. Although there is enough food available worldwide, numerous factors mean that the right to food cannot currently be granted in many countries. These include the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine and resulting disrupted trade chains and price increases; the severe consequences of climate change, such as drought or severe storms and resulting crop failures; and last but not least, violent conflicts. Countries in the global South are particularly affected. Harmful practices such as food speculation further fuel global food insecurity. The implementation of long-term strategies in partner countries, support for sustainable agricultural practices, and the provision of sufficient resources for emergency aid in crisis regions can be decisive levers in tackling global hunger. 

Given the ongoing crises facing the global food system, the EU's contribution to promoting food security is more important than ever. But how is Europe taking global responsibility for feeding the world? What challenges and conflicts stand in the way of a global green and just future without hunger? And how can we reduce influences from food speculation on an already tense situation? 

To seek answers to these questions, on June 02 we will look at the current state of food security, the challenges facing the global food system, and the role of EU policymakers in addressing these challenges. 

Program: 

17:00 – 18:30

  • Welcome by MEP Martin Häusling (Agricultural Policy Spokesman for the Greens/EFA) and MEP Erik Marquardt (Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Development)
  • Input from Tobias Reichert – Germanwatch: Impact of food speculation on food security.
  • Input from Sigrid Müller – World Food Programme: How far to the goal of No Hunger by 2030?
  • Discussion and exchange with the audience

18:30 – 19:00

  • Conclusion with small reception

Moderation: Susan Zare, Moderator, Journalist & Speaker

Venue: 

Spielfeld Digital Hub, Skalitzer Straße 85/86 – 10997 Berlin

Date and time: 

02.06.2023 

17 – 7 pm 

Registration: 

REGISTRATION CLOSED

For all people who cannot attend on site, there will be a possibility to listen via a live stream. You will receive the link by mail shortly before the event starts.

Fit for 55

Erik Marquardt on April 18, 2023

Today, we in the European Parliament have taken a major step forward for European climate policy. Even though I would have liked more, this is a good day for the climate. The EU has set itself the goal of reducing net greenhouse gases by 55 percent by 2030, and to this end the Parliament has adopted decarbonization through a CO2 offset tax, a higher price for CO2 certificates and a climate social fund. Explanations for the individual measures can be found on these charts:

Europabrunch

Erik Marquardt on April 14, 2023

On April 22, I – Erik Marquardt (MEP) – with the support of the LAG Europa in Berlin organize a Europabrunch. There we will inform about the current developments in European asylum policy. In addition, we will take a look at European climate policy on the occasion of Earth Day. 

The event starts at 10 a.m. and is scheduled to last three hours, leaving enough time for an extensive brunch. In the first part, Erik Marquardt will inform about the current developments in European asylum policy and discuss questions afterwards.

Also this year are already over 500 people died during the crossing of the Mediterranean Sea. At the same time, the methods by which Sea Rescue is prevented, more and more undignified. Emergency calls are often no longer answered, civilian rescue ships are sent on days-long odysseys and militias in civil war countries are paid to ward off refugees. Human rights at the EU's external borders are in a bad way. What is the situation, what should happen and what are the chances or dangers of the currently discussed reform of the European asylum system? We will talk about this in the first part of the brunch.

After a break, we then come to the second thematic block:

However, not only in the area of migration are there currently major changes, but also in the area of energy and climate policy. Therefore, I am pleased that we can welcome my colleague from the European Parliament Michael Bloss for the second half of the event. The European Green Deal is the most ambitious climate protection project we have ever had in Europe. Michael is committed to the implementation and defense of these climate targets in the European Parliament. This includes negotiations on CO2 prices, as well as the end of the combustion engine. Thanks to this commitment, despite a short hiccup, we were finally able to celebrate the end of the combustion engine at the end of March. Nevertheless, we must continue to fight for a climate-friendly future for the EU, because the discussions show how difficult it is to make progress on climate policy issues. The question remains: How can we create solutions for a climate-friendly Europe?

In order to get to grips with current events and to report on our work as members of parliament, I hereby invite you, together with the LAG Europa, to the Europabrunch on April 22 at 10 am in Berlin. 

The program: 

  1. Lecture Erik Marquardt on the current asylum and migration policy – where do we stand, what is just decided and what is still to come 
  2. On the occasion of Earth Day: Panel on European Climate Policy with Michael Bloss and Helena Marschall from Fridays For Future

Venue: 

Kin Za, KrausnickstraÃe 23, 10115 Berlin

Date and time: 

22.04.2023 

10 – 1 pm 

Registration: 

Please register by April 20 for on-site participation. REGISTRATION CLOSED

Humanitarian aid to Ukraine from the perspective of local NGOs 

Erik Marquardt on 31 March 2023

Together with my colleague Barry Andrews (Renew) and the NGO ActionAid I organized on Tuesday an exchange on the challenges and opportunities for EU humanitarian aid in Ukraine based on the experiences of local NGOs. Among the participants were the organizations DEIS Romania, ROMNI Moldova and NGO Girls Ukraine and Allesandro Valdambrini from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO). 

The representatives of the three NGOs shared their experiences in providing humanitarian aid to the refugees from Ukraine and the people on the ground, and the challenges they face as women in organizations run by women and/or youth. In addition to these personal experiences, Action Aid presented their report âStanding up for our Rights: Feminist Insights from the Ukraine Responseâ which also addresses these challenges, but especially the important role of these organizations in crisis management. They all advocate a feminist approach to humanitarian aid, with more targeted support for local organizations. 

Funding for local NGOs

Mr. Valdambrini replied that their target is to give 25% of humanitarian aid to local partners. But this cannot happen directly because of the EU mandate and has to be channeled through international organizations. Thus, the responsibility ultimately lies with the international organizations to comply with the threshold of 25%. Here, the Commission must strive to find additional ways to ensure the financial support of local NGOs. 

It is important that the European Commission also learns from the experiences of local NGOs in the provision of humanitarian aid, which requires platforms for regular exchange. I support the feminist approach in humanitarian aid to eliminate structural inequalities and to make the voices of FLINTA* heard in crisis situations. This is also something that the EU, together with its international partners, should pay more attention to.

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