EPP Group Position Paper on migration includes key Hungarian standpoints

The most important Hungarian aspects have been included in the EPP Group Position Paper, which was accepted yesterday evening. The document calls for a firm protection of the EU’s external borders, cooperation with third countries, and helping the countries of origin. It also approves of contributing through different forms of solidarity for those Member States that do not participate in a distribution framework.

The aim of the position paper is to declare the EPP’s stance for upcoming negotiations by EU lawmakers on EU migration policy. The European Commission will introduce its long-awaited proposal on migration and asylum policy before the summer which is expected to break the deadlock that has been paralyzing the renewal of system since 2015.

The several pages long document emphasizes the importance of external border-control, fighting human trafficking, close cooperation with third countries, more efficiency in returns, and addressing the root causes of migration. It also states that a clear difference must be made between refugees and economic migrants. The EU must also process applications outside its territory, on the border or in transit zones, thus stopping anyone from entering EU territory illegally.

In terms of solidarity, the EPP proposes a non-mandatory distribution framework, in which no Member State is obliged to participate. Those who do not participate in this framework should be allowed to make other significant contributions in the name of solidarity. “After many months of hard work, we have achieved that the long-stressed Hungarian viewpoints are included in the paper. However, we cannot sit still. During the debate it was obvious that a pro-migration group still exists within the EPP Group who wanted to push through a mandatory distribution system. Not surprisingly, they are mostly the same people who tend to criticize Fidesz and Hungary. In the upcoming debates, we must be vigilant to make sure that no mandatory quota system is accepted.” – said Balázs Hidvéghi, Hungarian EPP member of the LIBE Committee.