Many MEPs had wanted to see a more ambitious proposal and doubted whether the proposed redistribution scheme would work. They also criticised the fact that member states would be able to avoid taking in asylum seekers in return for making a financial contribution to those processing the asylum applications in their place.

Some stressed the member states’ right to self-determination and criticised the plan to ask them to contribute financially if they do not accept refugees.

Replay videos of statements by

Frans TIMMERMANS, first Vice-President of the Commission

Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Commissioner in charge of migration and home affairs

Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT)

Elly SCHLEIN (S&D, IT)

Helga STEVENS (ECR, BE)

Cecilia WIKSTRÖM (ALDE, SE)

Cornelia ERNST (GUE/NGL, DE)

Jean LAMBERT (Green/EFA, UK)

Laura FERRARA (EFDD, IT)

Marcus PRETZELL (ENF, DE)







Note for editors

The Commission presented its proposal for the reform of the Dublin regulation on 4 May. According to the proposal, the “first country” criterion laid down by the Dublin rules remains, but should be supplemented by a "corrective allocation mechanism", which would be triggered automatically if a member state experiences “disproportionate” numbers of asylum seekers. Any member state not taking part in the redistribution system would instead have to show "financial solidarity" by paying €250,000 per asylum application processed by another member state.

In April, Parliament passed a non-legislative resolution on "A holistic approach to migration" which demanded a radical overhaul of the Dublin regulation to ensure shared responsibility, solidarity and faster processing of asylum claims.