The British aid charity Oxfam has called on European nations to give priority to the protection of migrant rights and asked Italy to reopen its doors to those fleeing war.
Italy should reopen its doors to those fleeing war and persecution and to those with nothing, while European leaders should reform the Dublin regulations and asylum rights, Oxfam has said.
The UK charity said that European leaders meeting for the EU summit on Thursday should focus on reforming European asylum rights in such a way as to ensure the sharing of responsibility among member states and the protection of the rights of those fleeing war and persecution.
EU may be united only on pushbacks
Oxfam said in a statement that the risk of the summit is that EU states might stand united solely on a policy of pushbacks and outsourcing of border control, starting from its collaboration with Libya.
Paolo Pezzati, policy advisor for the Italian branch of Oxfam on the migration crisis and humanitarian emergencies, said that it was essential that Italy eliminate all doubts as concerns the draft reform of the Dublin regulations towards an automatic and mandatory redistribution of asylum seekers among member states, without being afraid of displeasing the countries of the 'Visegrad group' (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia).
'Italian government of concern'
The organization added that the Italian government's attitude on the rescue of migrants in distress at sea was of a great deal of concern. It added that the attitude may lead only to a more hardline approach at the EU level, which in the summer could harm men, women and children trying to save their own lives, and called on Italy to allow ships carrying migrants rescued to dock at its ports again, including NGO ships.
Oxfam supports the campaign 'Welcoming Europe-Per un'Europa che Accoglie', which aims to collect one million signatures over a year in at least seven countries in order to give them to the European Commission to call for immigration reform.