The EU’s commitment to safeguarding fundamental human rights should be clearly reflected in its policy proposals to address the phenomenon of irregular migration. We therefore recommend to the EU and it member states:

• to encourage a responsible debate to stop discrimination and racism against irregular migrants

• to provide appropriate and differentiated solutions for human beings involved in mixed migratory movements

• to take into account UNHCR’s 10 Point Plan of Action on “Addressing mixed migratory movements”

• to ensure international human rights standards in transit

• to enhance international human rights standards in dialogue and cooperation with third countries

• to agree on a common return policy based on international human rights standards

• to establish fair, open and transparent legal labour migration channels to the EU

• to ratify the 1990 UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Their Families (ICMW)

• to enforce minimum labour standards and basic social rights

• to apply regularisation schemes to improve the individual situation of the irregular migrant and as a response to labour demands

• to adopt a more consultative approach towards NGOs, churches and church related agencies, by involving them also – but not exclusively—in the study on practices and effects of regularisation measures in Member States

• to protect churches, church organisations and NGOs from prosecution and conviction before criminal courts when providing humanitarian aid for irregular migrants

Comments on EC policy priorities (46.88 KB)