51. The EU and the Refugees: The Way Forward
- Author:
- Petr Kratochvil and Vit Beneš
- Publication Date:
- 11-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Institute of International Relations Prague
- Abstract:
- his paper was prepared for the Prague European Summit. "The refugee crisis can become – in spite of the underlying tragedy – a moment of glory for the European Union. Suffering from crises of both identity and confidence, the EU can find itself again by drawing inspiration from its history and values and renew its purpose at home and abroad. If the EU manages to reform its outdated migration and asylum policies, offering the war refugees a friendly welcome, it will prove that the fears of its weakness are exaggerated and the rumours about its erosion are unfounded. If decisive action is taken by European leaders, the result will be of benefit for both the refugees and the societies as well as economies of the recipient countries. War refugees – and even economic migrants – are not a threat; they are an opportunity for the EU to prove that it still stands firm on the principles of peace, solidarity and openness, on which it had been originally built."
- Topic:
- Refugees and Refugee Crisis
- Political Geography:
- Europe