Author: YDE

Party-Political Youth Organisations: Replace EU-Turkey Deal With Dignified Migration Policy

Today, it is one year since the deal between the European Union and Turkey on relocation of refugees came into force.

In the absence of a functional relocation scheme within the European Union, a deal was forged that would effectively push back refugees to Turkey, deemed a safe third country. There are, however, numerous reports from leading human rights organisations that Turkey is not safe for refugees (source: HRW, Amnesty International).

The EU-Turkey deal decreased the amount of crossings along the so called Eastern Mediterranean route from Turkey to Greece. However, the number of migrants trying to reach Europe via the so called Central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy increased . The latter route is considerably more dangerous than the former, leading to new deadly records each year. More than 5000 migrants lost their lives in the Mediterranean in 2016 – more than any previous year. In the first two months of 2017, the death toll in the Mediterranean is already higher than in previous years. The vast majority of these victims were attempting to reach Italy (source: IOM).

One year later, we regret to note that the EU-Turkey deal has worsened the already dire situation of thousands of displaced persons. Furthermore, deals modeled on the EU-Turkey deal with even less stable countries, like Libya and several countries in North Africa, threaten to lock up vulnerable people in inhumane situations. We therefore demand the following:

  1. The urgent implementation of a functional framework for the resettlement of refugees in the European Union. The size of the quotas must reflect the actual needs of protection of asylum seekers.
  2. Sufficient support to countries of entry, in particular Greece and Italy, to ensure decent living conditions for refugees and the resources needed to expediently process asylum applications.
  3. The abolishment of the Dublin-II regulation and an end to the nationalization of asylum policy in general.
  4. The constitution of a European Agency for Asylum and Migration responsible for the examining of asylum applications. This agency has the responsibility to coordinate the national asylum agencies, increase the efficiency and grant for the rights of refugees by consistently applying existing European standards.
  5. The creation of more legal channels of migration in order to save lives and reduce human trafficking by all EU Member States to commonly introducing a “humanitarian visa system” allowing refugees to enter the EU territory legally, and thus be able to seek asylum on humanitarian grounds upon arrival. The adoption of common criteria for these visas, and the enabling of asylum seekers to apply to all of the EU countries in any EU embassy by creating a common asylum policy at European level.
  6. The revoking of the EU-Turkey deal and the halting of plans for other similar deals with third countries, such as with Libya, until there are guarantees that all agreements with third countries comply with the international humanitarian legal obligations of EU member states. The EU to work together to even out the differences in financial responsibility of member states in managing the external border in order to make sure that no country feel that it is necessary to outsource border control to non-EU countries.
  7. The allocation of sufficient resources to the Asylum and Migration Fund, which will include the former asylum and refugee funds, in the EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020. The EU to ensure that the EU external aid priorities and fundings are coherent with the ones of the Asylum and Migration fund.

Signatories:

EFAy – European Free Alliance Youth
European Liberal Youth (LYMEC)
Young Democrats for Europe (YDE)
Young European Socialists
IUSY – International Union of Socialist Youth
Youth of the European Left
IFLRY – International Federation of Liberal Youth
Young European Federalists [JEF]
Federation of Young European Greens – FYEG

Picture by Elias Markou

YDE
Press Release

Welcome to Jóvenes Nacionalistas from Canary Islands

In this first month of 2017, the Young Democrats for Europe have the pleasure to welcome a new member: Jóvenes Nacionalistas from the Canaries, whose party – Coalición Canaria – governs the Canary Islands.

They share with us the democratic values and ideas of the pro-European political family.

We are particularly happy to extend our reach in Spain and more especially in the Canaries, the outermost regions of the EU are key EU regions and face important problems EU solidarity should help.

YDE President & JN CC President

YDE
News

Moldova between East and West!

We continue to consider the European Union as our common home believing that National boundaries are no more a limit but a gate to share our cultures and common values with other European citizens. In it with this firm belief that several of our members took part as speakers to the conference “Moldova between East and West” organised by the Institute of European Democrats in collaboration with our Slovak member Mladí Európania in Chisinau on 28 November 2016.

This event aspired to reflect upon the intensifying relations between the EU and Moldova after the EU-Moldova Association Agreement entered into force on 1 July 2016. The Agreement is a breaking point in the EU-Moldova relationship which aims to proceed to a gradual economic integration and a deeper political cooperation between the country and the EU. Nevertheless, there are still several serious issues such as the high level of political and economic corruption, poverty, slow pace of the reform process and long-term Transnistria dispute. What is more, the EU currently experiences major crisis in its history, facing the massive migration flow from the Middle East and North Africa, Brexit negotiations, worsening relationship with Turkey and the overall rise of anti-EU parties across Europe. All this reflects on the development of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

The conference therefore analysed the relationship and current state of negotiations between EU and Moldova, evaluated the positive and negative prospects of the Moldovan Accession to the EU and broadened the discussion on Moldova to the overall concept of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

In the first panel of the conference: Moldova between East and West from international perspective: European Union, Russia and the future of Moldova’s geopolitical orientation, Mihai Sebe, Partner Member of the YDE Board provided a political analysis of the European Neighbourhood Policy and of the Eastern Partnership approach as seen from an EU border country, Romania, a country with particular ties with Moldova. He underlined the main challenges that the country and the region are facing and emphasised the need of structural reforms.

Mihai also mentioned that from now on, the EU must support concrete projects and less parties or politicians. We need real small steps rather than pro-European rhetoric void of any real content. As regards Russia doubts were expressed regarding its ability to replace the EU financial assistance – that would force the governing forces to maintain a pro-European trajectory as at the end they must keep the state going and they need the money to do that. The last years of pro-European governing although disappointing on some aspects provided us with a lot of lessons on do and do not that need to be learned and then put into practice in all our future actions and policies

In the last panel of the conference: Youth in Moldova and Europe: Youth Perception of the future of the EU-Moldova relations and EU Neighbourhood Policy, Miroslava Calegari, former YDE President stressed the fact that despite the Western EU countries and Europeans youth don’t know too much about Moldova, we are a part of one family. As a thirty-year old Slovak woman that can still a little bit remember the “pre-European” life, this is understandable youngsters are leaving their homes in prospective of better future as we all do want to live a better life. However, the problem is there will not be someone to change Moldova. Moldavian youths have to fight in prospective of your own future and the future of the next generations to come and be strong and patient. These changes can just happen next year or next decade. We will be here to share our thoughts, experiences and to support you not to slow down and that was why we were here in Chisinau.

Veronika Okata, YDE Board member and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Partnerships in Mladí Európania emphasised the importance of the involvement of Moldavian Youth in the decision-making processes and civil society mobilization. In her speech, she also shared the advice and best practice on how the youth can be influential on both the European and national level. Veronika also shared the experience of political involvement of youth in Slovakia from the period before joining the EU and after the country’s accession in 2004, underlying advantages and disadvantages of the EU membership. In the end, she wished all the participants good luck in fight for the better future of Moldova, while expressing the hopes of closer collaboration between the EU and Moldova.

The conference was organised with the financial support of the European Parliament.

moldova_poster

YDE
News

Young Democrats and Liberals gathered at ALDE Winter Academy

Last week, on the 7th and 8th of December 2016, the Young Democrats for Europe and the European Liberal Youth organised the 2016 Winter Academy with the support of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament on the topic  A Connected Continent for Young People. This event gathered more than 80 young Democrats and Liberals from all over Europe.

Amongst the speakers on different issues such as Transport, Digitalisation, Migration and Education: YDE president Antoine Carette, ALDE Group vice president Petras Auštrevičius, Vincent Chauvet from the European Citizens’ Initiative One Single Tariff, ALDE MEPs Dominique Riquet, Angelika Mlinar, Fredrik Federley and Martina Dlabajová, Alexandre Beddock, director of the movie Voices of Refugees and Sacha Garben, Professor of EU Law at College of Europe.

Delegates had also the opportunity to engage in discussion and promote their views for the 1st time thanks to 2 workshops on Migrations and Digitalisation. The 2 statements following the workshops are available here.

YDE
News

Statement on the Elections in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The elections on December 11th provide the people of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (F.Y.R.O.Macedonia) with the possibility of a new start, and the unification of all democratic forces. And foremost, it offers the people of F.Y.R.O.Macedonia  the possibility to choose the direction for the future of their country.

Free and fair elections are the cornerstones of robust democratic states. These principles are not negotiable and must be respected by all political forces. Ensuring clean electoral lists,  and preventing manipulation of the electorate must have absolute priority in order to secure not only transparency and accountability, but most of all legitimacy. It is crucial that citizens are presented with a variety of meaningful options from which they can choose what kind of lives and systems they consider to be the most desirable for their very own community. This means, free and open competition between different parties. Considering that the latest European Commission report on the F.Y.R.O. Macedonia mention the increasing risk of “state capture” and expresses serious concerns regarding civil liberties, it is crucial that these elections are conducted in a free and fair way so that the country can get back on democratic track and take action in order to give a more positive outlook for the next report .

Vivid discussions focussing on the political content and ideological differences do not only allow all people to enjoy their fundamental rights, such as the freedom of speech, freedom of association and assembly, and freedom of the press, it is also a tool which fosters deeper political participation and paves the way for the emancipation of both individuals and groups. We call on all the candidates to use their opportunities and participate in public debates, thus providing enough information, so that the public can make an informed choice.

The people of F.Y.R.O.Macedonia have lived in a polarized society for many years and they deserve to once and for all enjoy their fundamental rights and democracy. Everything else is not giving them the adequate respect they deserve.

As young people, who are not only living today, but who will also bear the consequences of today’s decisions in the future, we call upon all parties and all other relevant institutions and organisations to collectively ensure that all citizens can practice the democracy they are entitled to through the constitution.

EFAy- European Free Alliance Youth

FYEG- Federation of Young European Greens

IFLRY- International Federation of Liberal Youth

IUSY- International Union of Socialist Youth

JEF- Young European Federalists

LYMEC- European Liberal Youth

YDE- Young Democrats for Europe

YES- Young European Socialists

YDE
Press Release

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