The Spanish chapter of Oxfam has denounced the government in Madrid for failing to respect the European agreement on migrant redistribution.
Oxfam Intermon has asked the European Commission (EC) to take action against Spain for failing to respect the agreement with the EU for the redistribution of asylum seekers. The complaint has been presented to the EC's Madrid office with backing from the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the left-wing Podemos.
Oxfam director general José Maria Vera said it was "an extreme and desperate measure" aimed at forcing Madrid to honour its commitment to take in 17,337 asylum seekers from frontline countries. Out of these refugees, 9,323 were to be accepted on a compulsory basis.
Until now, Spain has taken in only 1,983, or 13.7 percent, according to Oxfam figures. This compares with a EU average of 60-70 percent.
An appeal to responsibility
The complaint is the first of its kind to the EC from an NGO. Oxfam has asked the commission "to send … a motivated opinion paving the way for European justice to intervene before the deadline for enacting the agreement expires," Oxfam's Vera said.
The aim is to make it possible to take in asylum seekers beyond the deadline. Should the commission fail to act, Oxfam will lodge a new complaint against the European institution for "omission." Conversely, the NGO will ask the European Court of Justice to order compensation for asylum seekers who have been damaged by Spain's non-fulfilment of the agreement. This is the position taken by the European Commission in July against Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Spain lagging behind on quotas
Europe's fourth-largest economy is lagging behind in terms of applying the relocation and resettlement quotas agreed with the EU in 2015. Only Malta has met all its commitments, with 112.9% of resettlements and relocations performed. Madrid city council will make 20 newly built homes available to the government for housing asylum seekers.