The EU granted asylum to 185,000
migrants in 2014, 50% more than in 2013, Eurostat said Tuesday.
Around two thirds of the claims were granted by four countries:
Germany (47,600, +82% on 2013); Sweden (33,000, +25%); France
(20,600, +27%) and Italy (20,600, +42%).
The European Commission is to formalise its new plan
Wednesday to revamp migrant controls and processes for asylum
seekers.
The document states that a first screening will take place
to identify immediately humanitarian versus economic refugees at
centres where migrants are held upon entering EU borders.
Frontex, Europol and the European Asylum Support Office
(EASO) and healthcare facilities will be involved in the
selection process.
Frontex will be in charge of creating a system for the
rapid repatriation of migrants who flee to Europe for economic
motives.
UNICEF on Tuesday called for the rights of migrant children
to be the focus of new European immigration policy.
Deaths of migrants crossing the Mediterranean number 50
times higher so far this year compared to the same period last
year, UNICEF said. The ranks of children attempting the perilous
voyage are bound to grow as the warm season and calmer seas
tempt traffickers and their victims.
UNICEF said risks for children are particularly high not
only on the sea, but also after they arrive on European coasts,
where they may fail to receive medical or other attention to
urgent needs - particularly children travelling unaccompanied by
an adult.
Out of 170,000 immigrants that arrived on European shores
coming from the Libyan coast last year, 13,000 were
unaccompanied minors.
New reports suggest that smugglers and traffickers of
children are exploiting an already desperate situation, making
money on children seeking asylum and pushing their parents to
pay ransom to be reunited with their children.
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