France to Welcome the First Group of Asylum Seekers Under the EU’s New Migration Mechanism

According to the EU’s new solitary mechanism, France and Italy are among the countries that have agreed to take in migrants and refugees from the other European countries that are dealing with an increasing number of arrivals, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

The states to benefit from the agreement are mainly the southern European countries near the Mediterranean (like Italy and Greece) and on the Atlantic (namely Spain). France has agreed to take in about 3,000 people per year, with 38 being transferred already with the help of the EU and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Before the asylum seekers left for France, Italian authorities conducted identification and health checks, and the EU asylum agency also registered their protection applications, with French authorities later individually checking applications and interviewing the asylum seekers. French officials had visited an asylum centre in Bari earlier this month.

The Italian officials point out that 10,000 people are supposed to be relocated every year through this mechanism, with the people selected for relocation being primarily those in need of international protection, giving priority to the most vulnerable asylum seekers.

Countries that have agreed to participate in this mechanism include all EU Member States except for Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, Slovakia, and Slovenia. In addition, three countries that are not a part of the EU but parts of the Schengen Area, such as Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, haven’t agreed to take in migrants.

Germany, being the country with the largest population in the EU, has agreed to take 3,500 people per year, which is the largest number of refugees, followed by France. Just like French authorities, a delegation of German officials will visit Italy to carry out identification and health checks on a group of people waiting to be relocated to Germany.

The European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, noted that based on the situation, the EU will take extra measures to reform the migration system.

“The idea is to try out the voluntary solidarity mechanism and then take stock of the situation based on the results in order to reform EU immigration regulations,” Johnasson stated.

Italy is one of the most affected countries by illegal migration, as it is located across the Central Mediterranean from Libya and Tunisia. Last week, over 1,000 people arrived in Italy, while in 2021, more than 67,000 people arrived in the country via sea alone.