Yesterday, President of the European Commission Jean-Cloude Juncker addressed the participants of the High Level Conference on Migration in the European Parliament. In his opening speech, the President reminded: “Our migration policy is guided by two fundamental European principles: responsibility and solidarity. That is why I made it clear during the European election campaign, together with others, that we cannot abandon a country if the well-being of its people is at stake. Where a country sits on a map of the world cannot be the sole factor in determining how much responsibility a country should bear in the refugee issue.”
Recalling the European Union’s role in the protection of its external borders, President Juncker said that “more than 1,600 European border guards are currently supporting the national guards”.
President Juncker also reiterated the importance of the principle of solidarity: “solidarity is not a one-way street […] every country must take its fair share of responsibility”, adding that “if there are some who refuse, the Commission must also honour its own responsibilities.”
President Juncker also welcomed the newly-established cooperation with countries of origin and transit, notably in the form of the Partnership Framework with Africa. €200 million will be mobilised in 2017 for migration-related activities in North Africa: in Libya but also in Egypt and Tunisia, the President explained.
