The PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, meeting in Paris on 19 -20 March 2024 under the chair of Oleksii Goncharenko (Ukraine, EC/DA), addressed a number of burning issues affecting the enjoyment of rights of people on the move.
Testimonies on the tragic humanitarian situation in congestion points, such as Calais and Lampedusa, were brought by MEP Fabienne Keller, Claire Hedon Défenseur des droits and the journalist Annalisa Camilli (Italy).
The absolute need to clarify the fate of missing migrants (report under preparation by Julian Pahlke, Germany, SOC) was underlined by a wide range of perspectives thanks to the expertise of Professor Cristina Cattaneo, professor of forensic medicine and anthropology at Milan University, Susan Hitchin from INTERPOL and Giulia Bertoluzzi, journalist, who also screened an abstract of her documentary “Strange Fish” on migrants going missing at sea.
The benefits of migration in an ageing Europe were demonstrated thanks to the testimonies of Zakaria Ibrahim, cultural mediator in Camini (Italy), Dragana Curović (SällBo, Sweden) and Giulia Cortellesi (International Child Development Initiatives) (report under preparation on “Immigration, one of the answers to Europe’s democratic ageing”, Kate Osamor, United Kingdom, SOC).
The ticking bomb that are unexploded ordnances was clearly evidenced by Dejan Rendulić (Croatia Mine Center of the Civil Protection Directorate, Croatia) and Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Michel GRANGER (French Army) in the framework of the preparation of the report “Post-conflict: defusing ticking time bombs for a safe return of displaced populations” (rapporteur: Domagoj Hajdukovic (Croatia, SOC).
A very topical exchange on approaching the theme of migration and asylum during election campaigns in the framework of the follow-up to Pierre-Alain Fridez’s (Switzerland, SOC) report was held jointly with the No Hate Parliamentary Alliance, with the participation of Daris José Lewis Recio (he/him) (Equinet, European Network of Equality Bodies) and Laura Castel Fort (Spain, UEL).
The following chairs of sub-committees were appointed by acclamation:
Sub-Committee on Refugees and Migrant Children and Young People: Arusyak Julhakyan (Armenia, EPP/CD)
Sub-Committee on Diasporas and Integration: Lord Leslie Griffiths (United Kingdom, SOC)
Sub-Committee on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings: Lord Simon Russell (United Kingdom, EC/DA)
The following rapporteurs were appointed by acclamation:
Sandra Zampa (Italy, SOC): the challenges and needs of public and private actors involved in migration management
Lise Selnes (Norway, SOC): an urgent call to Europe and its partners: envisioning immediate and long-terms policy solutions and support for the displaced people of Ukraine.
The role of the Council of Europe to help clarify the fate of missing migrants: PACE Rapporteur visits Greece
PACE Rapporteur Julian Pahlke (Germany, SOC) visited Greece on 4-8 March 2024 in the context of his report on “Missing migrants, refugees and asylum seekers: a call to clarify their fate”. Registration procedures and protection measures to prevent migrants from going missing, dignity for families left desperate for news, dignity for the dead and public health management lie at the core of this issue of growing magnitude across Europe.
The visit primarily focused on hearing from governmental and non-governmental actors in Greece on the identification of the dead. During his visit, the rapporteur was able to hear from vice-prosecutors, from the Minister on Migration and former PACE member Mr Kairidis, from the Greek NHRIs, from migrants’ and refugee rights organisations, from the UNHCR and from the ICRC. Privileged and in-depth discussions where also held with members of the Hellenic Parliament, including members of PACE.
The rapporteur was most grateful to the Hellenic Coast Guards and to the Disasters Victim Identification Unit and the Forensic Science Division of the Hellenic Police for their time. The visit to Forensic Doctor and Researcher Pr. Pavlidis in Alexandroupolis, who has identified 646 persons on the Greek side of the Evros river since 2000, keeping bodies in coolers donated by ICRC pending their identification, was particularly humbling.
This visit has provided invaluable input on some of the best practices existing in Greece and the international cooperation elements at stake. All interlocutors agreed that the issue of missing migrants was of public policy interest and that a joint discussion across member States and with the Council of Europe’s external partners would be of great help to address this tragic situation.
The report is expected to be debated in the Assembly during the October 2024 part-session.
