Brussels, Belgium, 18 September 2024 — As some European states take steps to clamp down on border controls, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns that European leaders have a moral and legal obligation to uphold the rights of people seeking protection on their territory, not turn them away.
Harlem Désir, IRC’s Senior Vice President, Europe, says:
"More than 1,000 people have died or gone missing in the Central Mediterranean so far in 2024 seeking protection in Europe, while this weekend at least eight lives were lost in the English Channel - just days after the deadliest crossing this year.
"These devastating developments should be met with determined action to stop the immense human suffering at Europe’s borders. It is vital that states cooperate to ensure that people in need of international protection can find refuge in Europe without putting their lives at risk. We are concerned by Germany’s unilateral decision to introduce new border controls which could lead to a domino effect across Europe, resulting in refugees being sent from border to border without access to their rights. Europe needs more cooperation - not less - in managing border control, migration policies and refugee protection. We are also alarmed by the UK government’s interest in Italy’s migration agreement with Albania. Such deals are costly and ultimately ineffective.
"Neither cracking down on border controls nor deterrence approaches will stop people risking their lives in search of safety and security in Europe. These measures will only exacerbate the dangers they face by pushing them into the hands of traffickers and diverting them onto more perilous routes.
"Crossing borders to seek asylum is a fundamental right. All states have a duty to protect people - not turn them away. Rather than repeatedly making the same mistakes, they need to shift their focus away from deterrence, and towards solutions that work such as investing in integration and scaling up safe routes so people are not forced onto dangerous journeys in the first place."