EU Presidency Statement - Explanation of Position: Protection of Migrants

EU Presidency Explanation of Position on the PROTECTION OF MIGRANTS, by the UK Mission to the UN on behalf of the European Union, UN General Assembly, Third Committee, New York

Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey and Ukraine align themselves with this statement.

I am taking the floor in order to explain the basis upon which the EU has been able to join consensus today on the resolution entitled "Protection of Migrants" contained in document A/C3/60/L.57/Rev.1 and as further revised today.

The EU is firmly committed to protecting the rights of migrants. Although we have not co-sponsored the text, we would like to express our support for efforts to enhance the protection of migrants' rights. We strongly condemn manifestations and acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrants and the stereotypes often applied to them and we support the effective application of existing laws in order to eradicate impunity for those who commit xenophobic and racist acts. The EU believes that the best way to ensure the sustainable integration of immigrant communities in a host society is to provide for a harmonious equilibrium between the rights and obligations granted to third-country nationals.

The EU is pleased to note that there are some useful new elements in this resolution, for example that it encourages all states to integrate a gender and age perspective in developing international migration policies and programmes. Information campaigns, as detailed in the resolution, can also be a powerful means of clarifying opportunities, limitations and rights in the event of migration, so as to enable everyone to make informed decisions and to prevent potential migrants from putting their lives at risk.

The EU looks forward to further discussion of the issue at the High Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development to be held in 2006.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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• Speech by EU Commission VP Frattini - Migration and development: the European Policy (26/11/2005)
• EU Council Conclusions - Migration and External Relations (21/11/2005)
• EU Commission adopts major package of measures in the field of immigration and asylum (1/9/2005)