More than 365,000 asylum seekers have arrived on the shores of Italy and Greece since the start of the year, according to a new report. The European
More than 365,000 asylum seekers have arrived on the shores of Italy and Greece since the start of the year, according to a new report.
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles said these two countries can no longer cope and that more must be done to relocate people.
The group also criticised the inaction by some member states.
“There is a public trend because what we’re seeing of these spontaneous acts by volunteers and by NGOs who are reacting to the refugees situation they are doing so because they see that their government cannot or will not do something and they are quickly stepping in,” said Michael Diedring, the organisation’s secretary-general.
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles backs the EU executive’s call for a common European asylum policy and safer routes into Europe.
According to its 2013 report, it received more than half of its funding from the European Commission.
“One of the first thing we need are safe and legal channels for people to come to Europe because the fact that there are no legal channels means that people put their lives to the hands of smugglers,” said Diedring.
The group ‘s report added that any effort to relocate asylum seekers should take into accounts their preferences and ties to specific Member States as much as possible.