Resettlement of refugees: promoting greater solidarity

Recommendation 2059 (2014)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 18 November 2014 (see Doc. 13460, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, rapporteur: Mr Eric Voruz).

1. The Parliamentary Assembly, referring to its Resolution 2025 (2014) “Resettlement of refugees: promoting greater solidarity”, considers that Europe has a binding responsibility to protect those seeking international protection, and has a long tradition of so doing.

2. In light of uneven and growing pressures on member States of the Council of Europe in terms of irregular migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, it is important to examine methods of solidarity and responsibility sharing. Resettlement and other innovative solutions for urgent humanitarian admission from third countries, as well as relocation under the pilot project funded by the European Union (EUREMA), are ways of further sharing responsibility.

3. The Parliamentary Assembly therefore urges the Committee of Ministers to consider holding a thematic debate on the issue of the resettlement of refugees in member States in order to:

3.1 raise public awareness of the existing steps being taken by member States and best practices;

3.2 encourage more State pledges to meet the resettlement and humanitarian admission needs in view of the large-scale forced displacement as a result of the Syrian crisis, in addition to the global resettlement needs of 958 429 people;

3.3 support Malta as it faces significant mixed migration flows, and extend this support to other countries in difficulty in Europe;

3.4 provide a forum and encourage better use of the existing forums open to non-European Union member States, including the Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement, to discuss resettlement and relocation;

3.5 consider means for the Council of Europe Development Bank to be more involved in the process of resettlement.