Council Decision (EU) 2016/946 of 9 June 2016 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Sweden in accordance with Article 9 of Decision (EU) 2015/1523 and Article 9 of Decision (EU) 2015/1601 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece

What it is

to suspend the obligations of Sweden as a Member State of relocation for the period of one year. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion. BACKGROUND: the considerable increase of irregular border crossing into the EU and of secondary movements across Europe has led to a sharp increase in Sweden of the number of applicants for international protection, who mainly entered the EU via Italy and Greece. Sweden has in 2015 by far the highest number of applicants for international protection per capita in the EU (11 503 applicants per million inhabitants). The above situation has put a very significant strain on the Swedish asylum system, with serious practical consequences on the ground as regards the reception conditions and ability of the asylum system to deal with these applications. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA) on the proposal for a Council decision establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Sweden in accordance with Article 9 of Council Decision (EU) 2015/1523 and Article 9 of Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece. The committee approved the Commission proposal subject to amendments. that Sweden formally requested the suspension of its obligations under Council Decisions (EU) 2015/1523 and (EU) 2015/1601 , having to face both challenges of being a country of first arrival and final destination; that in March 2016, Sweden had received a total of 170 104 applicants , of which 73 331 were children, including 36 181 unaccompanied minors who have special needs and require additional resources in order to provide access to health care, dignified accommodation and education according to Union asylum rules. The European Parliament adopted by 396 votes to 190, with 50 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council decision establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Sweden in accordance with Article 9 of Council Decision (EU) 2015/1523 and Article 9 of Council Decision (EU) 2015/1601 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece. Sweden formally requested the suspension of its obligations under Council Decisions (EU) 2015/1523 and (EU) 2015/1601 , having to face both challenges of being a country of first arrival and final destination; Sweden had in 2015 by far the highest number of applicants for international protection per capita in the EU (11 503 applicants per million inhabitants) and in March 2016, Sweden had received a total of 170 104 applicants , of which 73 331 were children, including 36 181 unaccompanied minors who have special needs and require additional resources in order to provide access to health care, dignified accommodation and education according to Union asylum rules. PURPOSE: to establish provisional measures in the area of international protection for the…

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