EU strengthens its asylum agencies

The refugee crisis in Europe has led the European Union to strengthen its agencies that work closely with refugees, such as European Asylum Support Office (EASO) which is based in Malta.

With European proposals under discussion by 28 member states ministers, EASO is said to be given more power and resources.

Although the discussions are at an initial stage, tvm.com.mt reports that indications lean towards a general agreement between the countries and the proposal regarding EASO is expected to be approved in the coming months.

“It can be either concluded under the Slovakia presidency or in the Maltese presidency in the first months of 2017,” EASO’s spokesperson, Jean-Pierre Schembri said.

According to EASO’s executive director Jose Carreira, although legally no big changes are expected, the EU agency will have more power to intervene and assist countries experiencing a sudden influx of migrants.

“We would face more and more work, more expectations, more capacity to intervene, more resources to do bigger jobs and I think that what is required that the Common European Asylum System has a common response and common capacity,” Jose Carreira said.

The EASO workforce is expected to grow five times its current size while it is having negotiations with authorities so that EASO can occupy all the building which it currently shares with Transport Malta in Marsa.

“EASO is to grow five-fold from today’s manpower as, according to a draft, it will have more than 500 people. Will there be a space problem? Yes, but in fact, we are discussing with the Maltese authorities to enlarge EASO space in the coming months,” Schembri explained.