Labour MEPs respond to PN MEPs on Libya

In a statement issued on Saturday supporting the position with documentation, the delegation responded to Friday’s claims by the two Nationalist MEPs who maintained that the Labour MEPs's criticism was “downright incorrect and therefore unfounded.”

On Saturday, the PL delegation said that paragraph 15 of the Joint Resolution tabled by the five largest political groups included a reference to Article 80 of the EU treaty which refers to the principle of solidarity and sharing responsibility by Member States.

"While the two Nationalist MEPs claim that a reference to Article 80 solves any possible problems, the truth is that the vague language in Article 80 is nothing compared to the explicit demands proposed by the S&D group in their own resolution,” the PL delegation said.

“These were for a Common EU Asylum system, a burden-sharing action plan to resettle North African refugees and a special solidarity fund. These three proposals were flatly refused inclusion by the EPP in the Joint Resolution."

The delegation pointed to the text of Article 80 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union reads as follows:

“The policies of the Union set out in this Chapter and their implementation shall be governed by the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility, including its financial implications, between the Member States. Whenever necessary, the Union acts adopted pursuant to this Chapter shall contain appropriate measures to give effect to this principle.”

The original proposals put forward by the S&D group’s proposal reads:

“In view of the European Council extraordinary meeting about the situation in North Africa, on March 11, urges the European Union to:

 - provide full consideration, in compliance with the solidarity clause established in article 80 of the TFEU, of the difficulties of those Member States subject a disproportionate influx of displaced persons, by possibly using provisions laid down in Directive 2001/55 on minimum standards for giving temporary protection in the event of a mass influx of displaced persons, and on measures promoting a balance of efforts between Member States in receiving such persons and bearing the consequences thereof;

 - set up a special solidarity fund, if necessary, to cope with the humanitarian crisis;

 - put in place a burden-sharing action plan to help resettle refugees from the region, based on the principle of solidarity between Member States;

 - move forward urgently with the adoption of a Common EU Asylum System, including fair and efficient procedures for international protection; “