Last year persecution, conflict and poverty have driven more than one million people to seek salvation in Europe, after risking their lives across sea and land. 57% of these are Syrian citizens fleeing from war, 24% Afghans and 9% Iraqis. Other originate from countries such as Pakistan, Eritrea and Somalia. Most of these people have come to Europe crossing the Mediterranean and landing mainly in Greece and Italy. Of these, 3,735 are missing and it is believed they have drowned. Unfortunately, for those who survived, arrival in Europe has rarely meant the end of suffering and hardships.

As part of reflections on the EU migration policy, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) published a report based on eleven information missions in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden and met 183 stakeholders, mainly from civil society organisations working with refugees and migrants.

Through its commitment to giving a voice to those involved, the EESC, as a representative and supporter of organised civil society, presented its key messages to the Member States and EU institutions for addressing the refugee crisis.

Political recommendations for addressing the challenges of the current refugee crisis and the long term integration of those who benefit from international protection (excerpts from the report):

- Reducing the number of (irregular) arrivals

The factors that make the arrival of large amounts of refugees and other migrants particularly challenging are the sheer number of people arriving in a short period of time and the fact that most of them make their way to Europe via irregular channels. The root causes of forced displacement need to be addressed, including by ending conflict and finding political solutions to crises. Refugees need safe, regular routes to come to the EU. Deaths, human rights violations and exposure to smuggling and trafficking must be prevented. In the absence of safe routes, free services such as transportation, accommodation and internet connection should be provided on transit routes to avoid smuggling and exploitation.
Last but not least, the EU and its Member States should dissuade potential irregular economic migrants from travelling to the EU, by means of information campaigns in their countries of origin.

- Receiving and assisting refugees in a humane way

EESC recommends the creation of a genuine common European asylum system based on the protection of human rights, solidarity and shared responsibility. It should include uniform asylum status and mutual recognition of asylum decisions, in order to guarantee that asylum seekers can benefit from the same rights and reception conditions and undergo the same procedure in all Member States. This could help end "asylum shopping" (filing multiple asylum applications).
After filing an asylum application, refugees should normally be entitled to basic services such as accommodation, but there is a chronic lack of adequate housing and many refugees remain in temporary accommodation. The EESC therefore recommends, among others, that the European Commission monitor the proper transposition and compliance by all Member States with EU asylum legislation, in particular the Reception Conditions Directive.

- Providing adequate and reliable information to asylum-seekers and refugees

On their way to and through Europe, refugees rely on information – often false – obtained through informal channels and smugglers. It is recommended that the EU should make available centralised information for refugees on arrival. Leaflets and an official EU website (similar to the EU Immigration Portal) would offer up-to-date information about their rights, the procedures in place and the asylum possibilities available to them around the EU, and not only in a few countries such as Germany, Austria or Sweden.

- Protection of the most vulnerable categories

Many refugees arrive after long and traumatic journeys, often experiencing robbery, rape or other types of violence. They have escaped from war, left family members behind or lost them on their way to Europe. This particular trauma is not always sufficiently taken into account in the reception and asylum procedure phase. Member States should make the necessary resources available so that refugees and the volunteers who work with them can be provided with adequate psychological assistance.

- Better supporting civil society organisations

Organisations should build a shared vision of refugee protection and a common understanding of each other’s mandates, roles and responsibilities, as successful cooperation, rather than competition, is needed for solving the refugee crisis. Member States should support CSOs in working together, conducting research, coordinating activities and sharing experiences, knowledge and resources. The internationalisation of such activities, cross-border cooperation and exchange of information could be supported through specific funds or a formal network.

When organisations undertake tasks on behalf of public authorities, it is the Member States' responsibility to adequately compensate them. Moreover, Member States should allocate the necessary resources to professionalise assistance to refugees in the long term, as the number of volunteers declines, and to make jobs in this sector sufficiently attractive to address the shortage of skilled staff.

- Changing the way of presentation

Public support for migration may be enhanced if societies understand the benefits of migration. EU institutions should emphasise the positive aspects of migration, such as the fact that many villages in remote areas in Europe, affected by demographic decline, benefit now from additional workforce, consumption, pupils in schools etc. following the arrival of refugees.

Member States' authorities should consider providing key facts and data to journalists as well as the opportunity for study visits, e.g. to refugee centres or border control points, to counter negative stereotypes.

- Ensuring the integration of refugees

Sustainable long term integration policies are needed throughout Europe. The EU should continue to support stakeholders’ involvement and exchange of good practices among Member States.
Member States should make the necessary resources available to provide language training for those likely to be granted protected status, as soon as possible after arrival, and it is a good practice to combine it with work as it helps with language learning.
Member States should also make efforts to ensure that asylum seekers start work as quickly as possible, to avoid skills obsolescence and to allow them to become economically productive. As this leads to self-reliance, dignity and social interaction, it is beneficial both to individuals and the host society. Equal conditions with nationals must be ensured.

The synthetic report is available here:
http://www.eesc.europa.eu/resources/docs/16_59_migration_synthesis-report_def_ro.pdf