• The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM), which seeks to control migration, was recently amended for European adoption.
  • Germany, Spain, Italy, and France, as well as other UNECE members, have presented their initial findings on the issue.

21-11-2022

On Saturday, October 31, 2020, Germany and other UNECE Member States submitted their conclusions on the European Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM).

The German Voluntary National Implementation Report was used to convey them. Germany and the countries that have submitted their reports are the first to take this step toward full implementation of the GCM, which will be a watershed moment in global migration policy.

Participation in the GCM is just one of the efforts taken by the EU to improve international migration governance. Other steps include the strengthening of Frontex operations and the deployment of a new Hotspot System to help border areas experiencing unusually high migratory demand.

The Reports are on schedule for individual nations to assess the GCM measures and initiatives and determine whether to endorse.

WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN GCM?

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) backed the assessment of the so-called European GCM, a process in which experts examine the compact’s implementation from a regional, EU perspective.

Germany, along with other UNECE Member States, delivered a national report as part of the European review process on October 31, 2020.

In December 2018, an intergovernmental meeting in Marrakech approved the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.

It is the world’s first international migration framework, with the goal of regulating and organising global migratory paths and movements.

The GCM was later endorsed by a large majority of member countries in the United Nations General Assembly on December 19, 2018. This illustrates the international community’s common concern for the safety of migrants and people of recipient countries.

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE GCM?

The GCM seeks to accomplish significant outcomes in order to improve the lives of migrants and their communities. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration seeks to improve international migration cooperation in order to (among other things):

  • Improve migration governance
  • Facilitate safe, orderly and legal migration
  • Optimise the positive impact of migration on communities worldwide and empower migrants to become full members of their society of destination
  • Ensure that current and future migrants are informed of their rights
  • Address risks and challenges for individuals and communities of origin, transit, and destination
  • Mitigate the structural factors and drivers that impede individuals from building sustainable livelihoods in their nations of origin

Law enforcement around the world will have a better chance of combating serious international crime if the GCM is successfully implemented:

  • People smuggling and human trafficking
  • Identity theft
  • International terrorism
  • Transnational organised crime
  • Worker exploitation

The National Implementation Reports are part of Europe’s ongoing efforts to make travel and migration safer and more regulated. Several initiatives, such as the introduction of the ETIAS visa-free electronic authorization for short-term travel to the Schengen area, have been approved in recent years.

A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR MIGRATION

The expected number of international migrants is gradually growing, according to the International Organization for Migration’s 2020 World Migration Report. In 2020, 281 million individuals resided in countries other than their own country. Among these, 280 thousand asylum applicants were granted refuge in the EU, with 13,600 of them being unaccompanied youngsters.

The GCM was described by the heads of state and representatives that convened in Morocco as “a watershed moment in the history of global debate and international collaboration on migration.”

Although not legally binding, the agreement establishes a groundbreaking cooperative framework that recognises that “no State can address migration alone.”

THE GCM CONTRIBUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

The German assessment is meant to reflect the country’s sustained commitment to multilateral discourse and collaboration.

In the voluntary review, Germany highlights its priorities within the GCM framework and reports on the progress made in the Federal Republic towards the achievement of the Compact’s objectives. The Report addresses a number of crucial issues, such as the European return programme, the available paths for legal migration, and the ongoing efforts in the fight against human trafficking.

It also recognises the impact that COVID-19 is having on the full implementation of the GCM.

EUROPEAN GCM: GERMANY’S GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Germany emphasises the following policy areas as the Federal Republic’s top priorities in the review:

  • Integration. A detailed report on integration data in Germany is expected to be published by the end of 2020
  • Access to the German labour market. Germany seeks to strengthen and better the existing pathways for regular migration, for example with the implementation of the Skilled Workers Immigration Act of March 2020.
  • Prevention and countering of violent extremism/combating violent extremism. In October 2019, Germany approved a package of measures to better combat right-wing extremism and hate crime.
  • Tackling the causes of irregular migration. Germany set up a Commission on the Root Causes of Displacement in accordance with the approach taken by the EU with the Valletta Action Plan. Climate change is a factor of particular interest for the Federal government.

Aside from the ones mentioned above, the report provides an exhaustive list of tangible efforts, such as the formation of legislation, committees, educational and immigration programs, and funding resources, among others, to achieve the GCM goals.

THE SPANISH COMMITMENT TO THE GCM

Spain is a staunch supporter of the GCM, having voted in favour of UNGA Resolution 73/195, which approved the GCM, and acting as co-facilitator for the UNGA Resolution on Modalities of the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF.)

Following the GCM’s ratification, Spain launched a number of efforts related to its implementation, including:

  • Spanish Agency of Cooperation (AECID) projects in Sub Saharan and Northern African countries
  • Circular Migration programmes with a special focus on agriculture and higher education
  • The development of new first reception centres
  • The improvement of the national Save and Rescue initiatives in collaboration with neighbouring countries
  • The development of a new National Plan for Citizenship and Integration
  • New activities for the National Observatory for Countering Xenophobia and Racism (OBERAXE)

FRANCE SUPPORTS THE GCM

The French Foreign Ministry (Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères) issued a document praising the Compact. The Ministry emphasised the following in particular:

  • The encouragement on enhanced cooperation and the principle of shared responsibility
  • The Compact’s respect of national sovereignty
  • The GCM’s concern with the perspectives of migrants and countries of origin but also of countries of destination
  • The chance for the GCM to respond to tragedies affecting migrants in the Mediterranean and transit territories like Libya

THE ITALIAN DEBATE ON GCM PARTICIPATION

According to the 2019 Caritas-Migrantes Immigration Report, Italy is the third most populous EU country in terms of immigrants, after only Germany and the United Kingdom. Over 5 million immigrants have legal status in the nation.

The quantity of unauthorised border crossings, on the other hand, is concerning. Almost 118 thousand individuals crossed the Mediterranean in 2017 to reach the Italian beaches. 1.5 thousand migrants were unaccompanied kids in the first months of 2021.

In Italy, the GCM caused discussion. Some would prefer to see a stronger commitment to requiring member countries to allow migrants from other countries. Italy abstained from voting on GCM approval at the UN General Assembly in December 2018. The Italian Chamber approved a motion in February 2019 requesting that the Government not subscribe to the GCM.

The Italian opposition, however, together with some local organisations supporting refugees and asylum seekers, actively welcomed the GCM, seeing it as an opportunity to revitalise the European Union’s cooperation and coordination on migration.

EUROPEAN GCM: NEXT STEPS

The Compact is meant to be fully implemented at the national level, but it is also meant to foster international communication and collaboration throughout the process. This means that the EU has only participated as an observer thus far, leaving room for individual Member States to proceed at their own pace.

The following are the suggested steps for successfully implementing the GCM:

  • Analyse the current situation, observing and reporting on how policies and systems currently in place are already operating within the GCM framework
  • Set up priorities and identify necessary actions and processes
  • Develop a national action plan and monitoring process for the realisation of the country’s objective, including a timeline
  • Optimise communication channels and strategies for better international cooperation on migration.