Debate: The th anniversary of the Geneva Convention
Date: TUESDAY, 6 JULY 2021
Speaker: Ylva Johansson
Language: EN

The parties to the Convention, members of the United Nations, promised to support European refugees with practical aid and treat refugees like their own citizens, without discrimination. They voted to uphold the right to housing, the right to education, the right to work, to freedom of religion and other fundamental rights. Above all, the principle of non-refoulement, the cornerstone of the Convention, the commandment not to put refugees back in harm’s way, not to turn people fleeing terror, oppression, persecution straight back into the hands of their persecutors as happened so often with such tragic deadly consequence in the years before World War Two.  Ever since 1951, the Convention has been a beacon to guide refugees towards safe haven, from Hungary in 1956, Czechoslovakia in 1968, Vietnam in the 1970s, the Balkan wars in the 1990s, from Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan today. In all those years the Convention’s scope has increased, as has the power to inspire. At the same time, the right to asylum is under pressure. The Convention remains as important as ever.  Today, I would like to think about my friend Kati Piri, who was until recently a Member of this House and now represents her voters in the Dutch Parliament. Her father fled Hungary in 1956. He could raise his daughter in freedom, and I just say: thank goodness for the Convention. Thank goodness that no one pushed him back across the border and that no one at that time said, ‘let’s process his application on another continent’.  There is another Treaty we remember this year. Seventy years ago six European countries signed the Treaty of Paris creating the European pact on coal and steel, laying the foundations for our Union, resolving to replace a bloody conflict on the battlefield by negotiations at the conference table. We now have 76 years of peace in Europe. Because we have peace, refugees are no longer leaving Europe. Because we have peace, democracy and freedom refugees are now coming to Europe. Worldwide, 80 million people have fled their homes and developing countries host more than 86% of all refugees.  The Convention was once a global answer to a European catastrophe. Today, we must give a European answer to a global emergency. We can and must do more.  I want us to commemorate the Convention by taking action through our funds. The EU is the leading humanitarian aid donor. We support people in more than 80 countries. Last year the EU used almost its entire EUR 900 million humanitarian aid budget to help refugees, displaced persons and host communities. The Commission supports Turkey as one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in the world, with nearly 3.7 million refugees.  I want to commemorate the Convention by action, by making progress on the new pact on migration and asylum. That’s the only way to make sure refugees can fully enjoy their rights under the Convention. Step by step, we are advancing on the pact, as we did last month with a political agreement on the blue card and as we did last week with a political agreement on the EU asylum agency. And I call on you all today to commemorate by action and make progress on the Union resettlement framework. We must move from ad hoc support to a stable system of resettlement. This will be another important step to deliver the pact.  I want us to commemorate the Convention by stepping up on resettlement. Since 2015, Member States have granted 2.5 million people protection who came to Europe on their own initiative, often after dangerous journeys. And at the same time, Europe gave more than 80 000 people a new home through resettlement. Last year, just over 10 000 refugees came to Europe in this safe and orderly way, impressive in COVID conditions but a 60% drop all the same.  I want more people to be able to come to Europe safely so fewer people feel the need to risk their lives on dangerous journeys. I want us to get back to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. The global need is high. This Friday I will host a high-level forum on resettlement. I will call on Member States to increase their pledges. I’m very grateful for the support and participation of this House in the forum and the participation of ministers from Italy and Finland, two countries that are very active on resettlement and community sponsorship.  We can only make a difference if we join forces worldwide. That is why, for the very first time, I’ve brought together key international partners on resettlement. At this first unprecedented forum UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, Canadian Minister of Immigration Marco Mendicino, and US Secretary for Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. At the joint EU-US Justice and Home Affairs meeting last month, Secretary Mayorkas told us the US is back.  The time is right to show democratic leadership and to give many more refugees a safe route to a welcome home. The Convention is at the heart of our Union. It’s part of our history. It’s part of the Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. It’s part of who we are. I call on you in this House: let’s celebrate the Convention in words today, and by action tomorrow.