In a report published today, the Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees, Ambassador Tomáš Boček, expressed concern that detailed plans have yet to be disclosed by the French authorities for the accommodation and care of all those in “the Calais Jungle”, in particular unaccompanied minors and families, in view of the camp’s imminent closure. He called on the Council of Europe to seek assurances from both the French and United Kingdom authorities that all pending dossiers for Dublin-Regulation or “Dubs” transfers of unaccompanied minors would be processed before the camp’s evacuation.
The Special Representative stressed that, independently of the fate of “the Calais Jungle”, the Council of Europe could offer assistance in improving the situation of those in the northern France camps. Strengthening civil society could help to ensure that they are provided with information on their legal rights and reducing the lengthy delays for submitting asylum applications in the Calais area could also encourage them to apply for asylum in France rather than attempt to enter the United Kingdom by unlawful and dangerous means. A greater focus on integration policies, with the involvement of the municipalities, could likewise contribute to this effort.
Finally, given the prevalence of criminal rings operating between France and the United Kingdom, the Council of Europe could facilitate the exchange of know-how on tackling smuggling and encourage further cooperation between the two countries’ authorities. (more...)