Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601 of 22 September 2015 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece

What it is

The European Parliament adopted by 372 votes to 124 with 54 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy, Greece and Hungary. In view of the very urgent situation and the need to relieve it without further delay, Parliament approved the Commission proposal without amendment. Parliament informed the Council that this approval was without prejudice to its position that it would subsequently take on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a crisis relocation mechanism and amending Regulation (EU) No 604/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an application for international protection lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national or a stateless person. The Council adopted a decision establishing a temporary and exceptional relocation mechanism over two years from the frontline Member States Italy and Greece to other Member States. It will apply to 120 000 persons in clear need of international protection who have arrived or are arriving on the territory of those member states as from six months before the entry into force until two years after the entry into force. 66 000 persons will be relocated from Italy and Greece (15 600 from Italy and 50 400 from Greece); the remaining 54 000 persons will be relocated from Italy and Greece in the same proportion after one year of the entry into force of the decision. However, if the Commission considers that the functioning in practice of the relocation mechanism needs to be adapted to the evolution of the situation on the ground or that a Member State is confronted with an emergency situation characterised by a sudden inflow of nationals of third countries due to a sharp shift of migration flows, it may submit a proposal to amend this decision . The Member States participating in the mechanism will receive a lump sum of EUR 6 000 for each relocated person. Denmark and the United Kingdom are not participating in this decision. Ireland has expressed its intention to participate. To recall, the special procedure for the adoption of the decision establishes that the Council will consult the European Parliament . On 17 September 2015, the European Parliament adopted its opinion approving the Commission’s initial proposal without making any amendments. PURPOSE: to establish provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece in order to enable them to deal in an effective manner with the current significant inflow of third country nationals in their territories, putting their asylum systems under strain. LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece. CONTENT: this Decision establishes provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and of Greece , in view of supporting them in better coping with an…

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