Jean Lambert, who is London’s Green MEP said:"The main problem with the current asylum system is that it cannot deliver a full and fair decision process in all Member States. Member States tend to see the Dublin Regulation as a process instead of as a protection tool. Today’s proposals by the Commission are a welcome attempt to address this.
"The Dublin Regulation has shortcomings in the form of a lack of comparable statistics, a lack of solidarity and of equal treatment. We need to develop and strengthen reception capacities in Member States. Operational assistance and asylum expert teams are some of the proposed tools that must be further developed.
"People who seek protection should not be shipped around like unwanted goods but should be guaranteed a full and fair decision process wherever they arrive within the EU."
ENDS
For more information please contact: Morwenna Holland, Media Officer Tel: 020 7407 6280 or 07813149812 Email: media@jeanlambertmep.org.uk www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
Notes to editors:
Jean Lambert: In October 2005 Jean was named MEP 2005 for Justice and Human Rights. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections. She was re-elected in 2004. She is one of nine MEPs representing London and one of two UK Green representatives in the European Parliament.