Jorrit Rijpma on new European migration pact
The new European migration pact is intended to speed up the asylum process in Europe. A pragmatic and realistic plan that will at last provide a fast and fair handling of asylum applications in Europe.
The question is, of course, whether this new pact can provide the solution to the refugee problems in Europe. Jorrit Rijpma, Professor of European Law at Leiden Law School, spoke about the agreement on Dutch radio programme Bureau Buitenland. 'The pact is pragmatic and less ideological. In particular, it addresses the awareness in Europe that something needs to be done now. If the European Member States are unable to reach a compromise, it will be a sign of failure in Europe. This deal is better than no deal at this time.’
But can the pact be successful? 'I think there is a willingness to reach a compromise, but the question is whether this will be linked to other issues as well. For example, will East European Member States become obstructive in other areas? There are still lots of other thorny issues, such as solidarity and the relocation of refugees. These are sensitive issues that could spell trouble.'