Following the publication by the European Commission of a green paper on future EU asylum policy, UK Green Jean Lambert said:

“The main problem with the current asylum system is that it cannot deliver a full and fair decision process in all Member States. Member States tend to see the Dublin Regulation as a process instead of as a protection tool. Today’s proposals by the Commission are a welcome attempt to address this.

“The Dublin Regulation has shortcomings in the form of a lack of comparable statistics, a lack of solidarity and of equal treatment. We need to develop and strengthen reception capacities in Member States. Operational assistance and asylum expert teams are some of the proposed tools that must be further developed.

“People who seek protection should not be shipped around like unwanted goods but should be guaranteed a full and fair decision process wherever they arrive within the EU.”

ENDS