The European migrant crisis, commonly referred to as ‘the refugee crisis’, refers to the influx of both asylum seekers and economic migrants arriving in the European Union (EU) since 2015. Conflict and poverty has quickened the pace of migration from the Middle East and Africa across the Mediterranean, and the irregular distribution of migrant flow has incited backlash from a number countries across the bloc. Politicians across the continent are seeking to tighten borders as cultural tensions have built between civilian groups, calling into question how best to address the crisis.
The right to asylum was granted in the 1951 Geneva Convention and the EU member states established a Common European Asylum System in 1999 to ensure that migrants are to be afforded the same rights, no matter where in the continent they arrive from. However, in June 2016, the Commission to the European Parliament and Council addressed "inherent weaknesses" in the Common European Asylum System and proposed reforms for the Dublin Regulation – a law determining which member state is responsible for any given asylum application.
Despite the reforms, immigration remains a concern for many EU citizens. A 2017 Eurobarometer published by the European Commission explored the integration of immigrants in the EU and found that “38% of Europeans think that immigration from outside the EU is more of a problem than an opportunity”, with 69% regarding immigration as a problem in some degree. It was also reported that “over half of respondents agree that immigrants are a burden on their country’s welfare system (56%) and that they worsen crime problems their country (55%)”. However, there is a clear split amongst member states, with the greatest opposition coming from countries such as Greece, Malta, Slovakia and Italy while Sweden, Ireland and the UK report more positive perceptions across the board.
So why is immigration viewed so negatively? And why is it not perceived in the same way by the EU member states? The report suggests that both personal experiences and the actions of national governments are implicated in results of the report. For example, respondents in countries such as Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary reported that they were less likely to feel comfortable interacting with immigrants, which appears related to the reported “low levels of contact with immigrants in any circumstances”.
Likewise, many countries consider the role of national governments to be important for the integration of immigrants, yet less than half of respondents feel that their governments have done enough to foster this integration. It was concluded that “seeing immigration as a problem may not mean hostility against migrants, but rather reflect a perception that governments are not managing the issue of immigrant integration in an adequate way”. The fact that migration flows are distributed unevenly throughout the EU also has its part to play in differing opinions between countries.
Recent data show that migration figures are declining. Although the peak of the crisis may have passed, it certainly is not over and migration continues to be a priority issue for the EU. Since poverty, conflict and lack of opportunity are the initial catalysts for migration from Africa and the Middle East, and that immigrants appear undeterred by the perilous conditions of seeking asylum, it may require global coordination to improve domestic conditions for asylum seekers before the crisis may finally come to an end.
By Amelia Hacon
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