Bringing balance to the Immigration debate

Speech by Sarah Ludford MEP delivered to European Parliament on Tue 1st Jul 2003

I too appreciate greatly that the Greek presidency has taken an enlightened approach to facilitating legal migration and integration, not just fighting illegal immigration. In an important presidency conference on the theme in Athens and in securing agreement on the family-reunion and long-term-residents directives you have gone some way to rebalance the EU agenda which has been much too focused until now on control and rejection.

The EU's role in offering refugees protection has been under assault from some governments, notably the UK. I am glad that Thessaloniki rejected the preposterous suggestion that all EU asylum seekers should be driven back towards the Third World or EU fringe countries. The prospect of vast detention camps, raising the spectre of concentration camps, was rightly a step too far for some Member States. We need to get order in our asylum systems with a common EU system that does not shift responsibility but shares it. This would end the damaging rotation whereby first one country then another sees its numbers peak.

We can only have a true partnership on migration with third countries if we offer their people adequate alternative opportunities, especially in agriculture. The CAP with its export subsidies and import protection is a gross barrier to trade justice. You have made some reform progress but not enough.

My colleague Mr Watson rightly deplored the manner and content of the EU-US legal cooperation and extradition agreements. I agree with him. However, I welcome that the summit issued a clarion call of strong support for the International Criminal Court. The EU must stand up to the outrageous US bullying to undermine the court.

Finally, the accession signing ceremony took place at the foot of the Acropolis where the new Parthenon museum is also located. I represent London where the British Museum is located, but I take a rather softer line than its director on the so-called Elgin Marbles and I hope some arrangement for transfer, even if only a loan, can be reached before next year's Olympics.