Advocacy statement on situation of migrants and refugees in Europe

A coalition of international church-based organisations urges the European Commission to reform its migration and asylum policies, arguing that the current system is 'fundamentally broken'. The statement highlights the failure of the 'hotspot' approach and the 2016 EU-Turkey deal, calling for a shift from 'crisis mode' to a system based on solidarity, human dignity, and the equitable sharing of responsibility among all EU member states. It specifically advocates for safe passage channels and the rejection of policies that externalise border controls.

• The authors argue that European migration and asylum policy is in a 'fundamentally broken state', as evidenced by the suffering of people in inhumane conditions and the 2020 fire at the Moria camp on Lesbos.
• The document asserts that the 'hotspot' approach and the 2016 EU-Turkey deal have led the EU to falsely claim that population displacement challenges are 'solved' while ignoring underlying issues.
• The 'Dublin' system is described as fundamentally unfair because it focuses responsibility on countries of first entry, specifically naming Cyprus, Malta, Greece, and Italy.
• The statement identifies several root causes of migration, including conflict, famine, poverty, and climate change, noting that some are linked to the activities of European actors.
• The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the precariousness of displaced populations through inadequate hygiene, cuts to food rations, and restrictions on movement that limited access to protection.
• The organisations call for the establishment of regular migration channels and 'SAFE PASSAGE' options, including humanitarian corridors and sponsored resettlement, to reduce the influence of smugglers.
• The document advocates for a system of 'effective solidarity' where EU member states with 'stronger shoulders' accept more responsibility for the reception and integration of refugees.

APA

World Association for Christian Communication (2020). Advocacy statement on situation of migrants and refugees in Europe. https://waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20-9-_joint-Advocacy-statement-on-situation-of-migrants-and-refugees-in-Europe_Final.pdf

Chicago

World Association for Christian Communication. Advocacy statement on situation of migrants and refugees in Europe. 2020. https://waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20-9-_joint-Advocacy-statement-on-situation-of-migrants-and-refugees-in-Europe_Final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=World Association for Christian Communication |title=Advocacy statement on situation of migrants and refugees in Europe |date=22 September 2020 |url=https://waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20-9-_joint-Advocacy-statement-on-situation-of-migrants-and-refugees-in-Europe_Final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{worldassociationforchristiancommunication2020advocacy, author = {{World Association for Christian Communication}}, title = {{Advocacy statement on situation of migrants and refugees in Europe}}, publisher = {World Association for Christian Communication}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {https://waccglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20-9-_joint-Advocacy-statement-on-situation-of-migrants-and-refugees-in-Europe_Final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }