Ninth progress report on the EU’s emergency relocation and resettlement schemes

Progress reports on the relocation and resettlement schemes:

+ First progress report, 16 March 2016
+ Second progress report, 12 April 2016
+ Third progress report, 18 May 2016
+ Fourth progress report, 15 June 2016
+ Fifth progress report, 13 July 2016
+ Sixth progress report, 28 September 2016
+ Seventh progress report, 9 November 2016
+ Eighth progress report, 8 December 2016The European Commission adopted on 8 February 2017 its ninth progress report on the European Union's emergency relocation and resettlement schemes.

The report shows that member states continued to increase their efforts on resettlement offering legal and safe pathways to 13,968 people. Regarding relocation, the overall positive trend was also maintained. The text urges member states to make further efforts to sustain the progress made and reach the monthly targets set by the Commission.

News sources covering the announcement highlighted that the European Commission suggested that it consider punishing member states if they failed to share the burden of asylum seekers stranded in Greece and Italy.

The temporary emergency relocation scheme was established by two Council Decisions, adopted on 14 September and 22 September 2015. The Commission adopted a proposal on a European Resettlement Scheme in June 2015, followed by the agreement among member states in July 2015. The European Council summit of March 2016 called for an acceleration of the implementation of relocation, reiterated by the summit of October 2016. In December 2016, the European Council endorsed a Joint Action Plan on the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, which also includes relocation targets.

Please find the below the previous progress reports on these schemes.

• Primary Source

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

EurActiv, 08.02.17: Timmermans: Solidarity is key to refugee relocation and resettlement http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/video/avramopoulos-solidarity-is-key-to-refugee-relocation-and-resettlement/

EurActiv, 08.02.17: Commission threatens to sue countries that don’t take refugees http://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/commission-threatens-to-sue-countries-that-dont-take-refugees/

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