EESC opinion: Respect for fundamental rights in European policies and legislation on immigration

EESC opinion: Respect for fundamental rights in European policies and legislation on immigration

Key points

The EESC has decided to draw up an own-initiative opinion to propose that EU policies and legislation on immigration and borders should comply fully with human rights and focus principally on the freedom and security of all.

The EU is equipping itself – with great difficulty at the Council – with a common legislative framework in the field of immigration, providing supranational rights and guarantees that go beyond the changing (and sometimes restrictive) laws of the Member States. The EESC welcomes the progress made.

However, the minimal nature of harmonisation of many of these items of legislation stands in the way of full, appropriate safeguards for human rights.

The EESC proposes that "immigration policy and legislation should fully respect the human rights of all people, equal treatment and non-discrimination."

The Fundamental Rights should be granted to all, not only citizens of the Union.