A Day with AFET

The first day of the legitimate MEP session has started with the Opening Ceremony, accompanied by the speeches by the organizing authorities and the head of delegations. After an hour of welcoming the participants, the first meeting of all committees took place.

With the lead of the expert, AFET has started off by discussing the fundamentals of the issue. The discussion flowed from a relatively lighter idea of how one identifies themselves as a migrant, to an idea more directly associated with the core of the committee, such as determining whether having control of migration is important and how the EU is concerned.

The delegates have asserted their opinions according to the preparation they have conducted before. About performing control, they have acknowledged the importance of keeping track of the inhabitants, relating to the rising problems of housing and jobs. Also, they highlighted that tracking the movement of migrants who have legal complications can be done in addition. Furthermore, how promoting integration among migrants is challenging was brought up.

When it came to sharing how the EU is concerned about migrants, the delegates asserted that the majority of the issues originate from integration. Integration of people who have similar values as the Europeans was most favorable. But, in reality, the beliefs of migrants can’t be controlled and they are causing harm. For example, in Germany, the crime rate of migrants takes up 40~45% of the total crimes committed, while their population only being 2~3 million.

However, there were considerations of why some migrants may withdraw from integrating. The delegate of Denmark has explained that people who are born from non-Danish parents don’t have the right to vote even if they are born in the country. So, the migrants have no opportunity to be involved in politics. This will only discourage them from being engaged in how the country works and become a vicious cycle. This has led to the conclusion that the migrants have to be treated equally first in order to want integration from them.

An exceptionally interesting issue was related to religions. Religion is a significant factor for the majority of the people of the world. The delegates have asserted that religions shouldn’t have any influence on politics and how people perceive one another. However, the former agreement said that integration of people of similar values should be most favorable for the EU. But, it created an unexpected topic.

Religions are one of the many values one can have. Although, relating to the agreement, this results in a conclusion that migrants of different religions from member states are not favorable. Even though some values such as ethical awareness, social or cultural norms and moral standards can be definite, religions are not reasonable enough to determine how someone is accepted. Precise decisions have to be made in the future whether to embrace the possible controversy caused by religious beliefs.

Expanding the conversation, the delegates have decided that setting up clear boundaries and limits are what the EU needs in order to handle migration. But, still questions such as how religions should intervene, if more control is needed and if the EU needs to be more flexible were left. Based on the discussions and questions, the delegates have returned to the objective of the current session to brainstorm or finalize ICs and OCs.

Brainstorming ICs have taken place first. In the informal discussion, the delegates have come up with possible ICs. Even though the brainstorming has resulted to be successful, keeping the opinions on track was often difficult because some ICs addressed domestic issues rather than international relationships. When it came to organizing final ICs, the delegates were more precise and more critical to only have the most suitable ICs left. Some OCs were already brainstormed before the delegates were free for their break.

An interesting suggestion for one of the ICs was brought up during the meeting. The delegate of Cyprus has asserted that the lawyers provided to the asylum seekers are not competent enough. This was because the lawyers have to be supplied in high quantities in a short period of time. However, it is challenging to find lawyers with such high qualifications but want low payment. As a result, the EU can’t help but to hire lawyers of cheaper payments with less understanding of the EU laws. Because this is an issue related to the budget and human labor which has a definite limit to the amount, enhancing the quality of the lawyers instantly is nearly impossible. However, the member states should acknowledge this situation and come up with a solution as soon as possible, because it is an issue which directly affects the opportunity of seeking a better quality life of the asylum seekers.

After the coffee break, the delegates gathered again to continue with brainstorming OCs. This time, delegates were more relaxed as they were getting used to the environment of the committee meetings. For better efficiency and lessened pressure for the delegates and the committee presidents, the meeting continued in a joyful condition, leaving the committee hopeful for progress the next day.

Under the guidance of the committee presidents, the delegates have made impressive progress for today, purely based on their own creativity, critical thinking and debating. Keeping up the work, the delegates should be confident in their resolution and look forward to the General Assembly.