During the week of 10-14 May 2021, the Executive Director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), Nina Gregori, held a series of high-level meetings in Lisbon and Madrid to discuss the Agency’s new operational support for Spain’s reception system, as well as work to enhance EASO’s mandate and transform it into the EU Agency for Asylum.

Ms Gregori met with José Luis Escrivá, Spain’s Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, as well as the Minister of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, in Madrid. She welcomed the clear commitment of the Spanish Government to reform the country’s reception system in line with EU standards. The Executive Director highlighted that EASO is mobilising resources and personnel to support this effort, notably by:

• Enhancing the reception capacity in the Canary Islands;
• Supporting the transition towards a new model for reception in Spain;
• Enhancing structural processes in support of the Spanish reception system;
• Providing training, professional development, tools and materials; and
• Supporting the Spanish authorities in the area of resettlement.

During the meetings, Ms. Gregori also highlighted the importance of EU co-legislators finally agreeing on a mandate for the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA), which has been pending since 2016. She underlined that the ability of EASO to meet the increased requests by Member States for operational support under the current outdated mandate is challenging, and expressed hope that an agreement can be reached in Brussels soon. 

The Executive Director also discussed the EUAA when meeting with the Portuguese Minister of Internal Administration, Eduardo Cabrita, in Lisbon on 10 May, prior to participating in a Ministerial Conference on the Management of Migratory Flows organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU. Ms Gregori thanked the Minister for the Presidency’s strong efforts being made to finalise negotiations, stating that it is clear that the Portuguese authorities understand how important the EUAA is for a functional EU asylum system.

During a meeting in Madrid with the Spanish State Secretary for Migration, Jesús Javier Perea Cortijo,
Ms Gregori outlined the practical plans by which EASO intends to increase its support for Spain, including through the deployment of highly-specialised personnel. These include experts in vulnerability, site management, contingency planning, change management, engineers and architects, amongst other profiles. She also noted that officials of the Secretaría de Estado de Migraciones (SEM) are working very well with EASO personnel, highlighting that such good collaboration bodes well for the reform of Spain’s reception system. 

In Madrid, Ms Gregori also held meetings with various partners, including with Sophie Muller, UNHCR’s Representative in Spain, and María Jesús Herrero, Head of IOM Spain, where all agreed that synergising work was crucial in order to collectively be effective in supporting Spain. She also held a productive meeting with Spain’s Ombudsperson, Francisco Fernández Marugán.

The Executive Director also visited the Canaria 50 and Colegio Leon reception centers in Gran Canaria, meeting with EASO personnel deployed on the island and reviewing the state-of-play on the ground in the centers. She also used the opportunity to meet with local authorities and national representatives, emphasising the importance of excellent local collaboration, including with María Teresa Mayans Vázquez, the sub-Delegate of the Spanish Government to the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands. 

Any further information may be obtained from the European Asylum Support Office on the following email address: press@easo.europa.eu
 

Everyone is born free and equal in dignity and rights. On the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), the European Union reaffirms its strong commitment to respect, protect and promote the full and equal enjoyment of human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons.

Around the world, individuals continue to face violence, exclusion and discrimination on a daily basis, because of their real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity or sex characteristics. The EU remains particularly worried that in 69 countries consensual same-sex relationships are criminalised, with 11 of them retaining the death penalty as a legal punishment for homosexuality.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to even higher levels of violence and discrimination against LGBTI persons, including domestic violence, hate speech online and offline, and hate crimes. They often face stigma and discrimination in accessing health services. Moreover, the pandemic has led to shrinking civic space and an increase in arbitrary arrests and detentions, physical attacks and psychological trauma for human rights defenders protecting the rights of LGBTI persons. These acts are unacceptable and the EU stresses the importance of ending their impunity.

The EU takes action globally to prevent and denounce all forms of discrimination against LGBTI persons, including homophobic, biphobic and transphobic violence, while promoting their access to equal opportunities in all spheres of life. It is important that discriminatory laws, policies and practices, including the criminalisation of consenting same-sex relations are fought worldwide. Such practices also expose LGBTI persons disproportionally to unemployment, social exclusion and poverty.

The EU will remain at the forefront of efforts to ensure the full and equal enjoyment of  human rights of LGBTI persons. Through its renewed internal and external policy framework, notably the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-2024) and the European Commission’s first ever LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025, the EU advances equality in all spheres of life both inside and outside the EU.

In line with this year’s IDAHOT theme “Together: Resisting, Supporting, Healing!”, the EU will continue to address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, highlighting the vulnerable situation of LGBTI persons in the COVID-19 recovery and calling for fairer, more inclusive and sustainable societies. It will engage through political dialogue with partner countries and continue to support civil society organisations and human rights defenders for the protection and promotion of the full and equal enjoyment of human rights of LGBTI persons and the respect for diversity.

Ensuring the right of all individuals to be free to be who they are and love whom they choose requires joint efforts by all, every day.

The European Union deplores the publication of Measures in “Response to Unfriendly Actions of Foreign States”, following the unprecedented Decree signed by President Putin on 23 April. The EU considers the allegations of unfriendly actions as unfounded.

This Decree is incompatible with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 with regard to the duties of the host state to secure the functioning of diplomatic missions. 

We call on Russia to review its decision, to avoid a further deterioration of our relationship that is already under strain. The EU will continue to coordinate its position with its partners.

We express full solidarity with the Czech Republic, an EU Member State, and the United States of America and call on Russia to fully respect the Vienna Convention.

The location and the format (physical or virtual) indicated for each meeting are subject to change.

Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council, 17-18 May

Ministers will discuss about equity and inclusion in education and training, the European Universities initiative and participation of young people in decision-making processes. They will also focus on the sustainability of the creative sector, the Media and Audiovisual Action Plan and sport innovation.

Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), 20 May

The Foreign Affairs Council/Trade will hold a meeting with International Procurement Instrument, conclusions on the Trade Policy Review and the EU-US trade relations in their agenda, among other subjects.

Special meeting of the European Council, 24-25 May

EU leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss EU’s response to COVID-19, climate change and external relations

Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 26-27 May

Ministers will discuss the CAP reform package and a series of other topics including organic farming, new genomic techniques, plant reproductive material and the EU’s priorities for 2021 UN Food Systems Summit.

Competitiveness Council, 27-28 May

Ministers responsible for the internal market and industry will be focusing on the digital services package, access to critical raw materials, the future of tourism in Europe and better regulation.

Research ministers will be focusing on the EuroHPC joint undertaking, the future pact for research and innovation and upgrading researchers’ careers in Europe. In the afternoon, space ministers will debate the EU’s position concerning space traffic management and adopt conclusions on new space and space for people in coastal areas.