Spain's acceptance of refugees

8.2.2017

Question for written answer E-000887-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Jordi Solé (Verts/ALE) , Josep-Maria Terricabras (Verts/ALE)

Member States, and Spain in particular, are not fulfilling their commitment to relocate refugees.

In early 2017, the EU as a whole had relocated only 10 888 refugees from Greece and Italy, and resettled only 13 887 from third countries. This represents 13% of the total promised by Member States.

The situation is even worse in Spain. As it stands, Spain has accepted only 1 034 people (745 relocated and 289 resettled). This figure is much lower than the EU average and is only 6% of the total number of refugees to which it has committed to taking.

Spain also has one of the lowest rates in the EU for accepting asylum applications. Just 31% of applications in 2015 were accepted, a figure well below the EU average of around 50%.

— Does the Commission intend to establish a mechanism that obliges Member States to meet the agreed acceptance quotas?— Does the Commission believe that mechanisms should be put in place to streamline Member States’ criteria for accepting refugees?