HUMA Newsletter - August 2010 - Issue n°18

EU PARLIAMENT

 

Resolution on the situation of Roma and on freedom of movement in the EU

 

The European Parliament adopted on 9 September a resolution on the situation of Roma and on freedom of movement in the European Union, in which the EP "recalls that the European Union is above all a community based on values and principles designed to maintain and promote an open and inclusive society and EU citizenship, particularly by prohibiting all forms of discrimination (...)" The EP "instructs its committee responsible, after consulting the Fundamental Rights Agency, which should draw up a report, and NGOs and bodies dealing with human rights and Roma issues, to follow up the issue and prepare a report on the situation of Roma in Europe".

 

Sources:

- EP - Joint motion for a resolution on the situation of Roma

- EP - Newsroom

EU COUNCIL

 

Belgian Presidency conference on child poverty and child well-being

 

The Belgian presidency of the EU held a conference on 2-3 September 2010, on 'Child poverty and child well-being'. It focused on adequate resources to meet the essential needs of children, and on access to the services, with particular attention to the most vulnerable children, with five policy areas among which health care.

 

As a conclusion to this Conference, paving the way towards the adoption of a Recommendation to fight child poverty and promote child well-being, the three presidencies of Spain, Belgium and Hungary called upon Member States and the European Council, in close collaboration with the Commission, to (...) give specific focus to children in extreme poverty, especially the most marginalised and those subject to discrimination, such as migrant children, including undocumented children.

The Commission already expressed its commitment to adopt a Recommendation on this issue in a near future.

Sources:

- Belgian European presidency - Child Poverty Conference

- "Call for an EU Recommendation on Child Poverty and Child Well-being June 2010"

- "Signed trio declaration of the EU Belgian presidency conference"

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

ECtHR to assess whether sending asylum seekers back to Greece violate the European Human Rights Convention

The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held a hearing on 1 September 2010 in the case MSS v. Belgium and Greece. This leading case is about an Afghan asylum seeker who entered the EU in 2008 via Greece and travelled on to Belgium. Despite an appeal against a transfer under the Dublin II Regulation, he was sent back to Greece in June 2009 and detained for several days in the "appalling conditions" he had feared. Still today he is waiting for his first interview with the Greek asylum authorities. The referral to the ECtHR relies on Articles 2 (right to life), 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment) and 13 (right to an effective remedy) of the European Convention on Human Rights. UNHCR took part to the hearing as a third-party and expressed concerns about the Greek asylum system, considering that it presently fails to provide protection against the risk of refoulement or forced return, and that reception and detention conditions, among other things, are gravely inadequate.

Sources:

- ECRE weekly bulletin, 3 September 2010

- European Court of Human Rights, 'Grand Chamber hearing - M.S. v. Belgium and Greece'

- Reuters, 'UNHCR makes unprecedented appearance before European Court

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

 

BELGIUM

Asylum seekers reception crisis still ongoing

The reception crisis in Belgium, ongoing since the summer of 2008, has still not been solved. Since October 2009, more than 3,500 asylum seekers haven't been able to get into reception centres. Almost a thousand of them have been accommodated in hotels, without adequate follow-up and assistance. Besides, Fedasil - the Federal Agency in charge of asylum seekers - is not able to provide accommodation for the most vulnerable asylum seekers.

 

Source: Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, 'De regering stevent af op een humanitaire ramp deze winter'

FRANCE

 

Restricted access to 'State medical assistance'?

Different French NGOs and platforms, among which the ODSE - which stands for 'Observatory on the right to health of foreigners' and of which MDM France is a member- wrote an open letter to the French minister Roselyne Bachelot concerning a project to reform the 'State medical assistance' (AME, aide médicale d'État), i.e. health coverage for undocumented migrants. The French minister said she is planning to introduce a fee that the beneficiaries would have to pay when they ask for their AME card or for its renewal - although the AME system benefits to undocumented migrants that have resources under 634 euros/month.

 

These NGOs give many public health arguments but also highlight that this would be discriminatory as other residents with low or no resources do not have to pay a fee to get health coverage in France (undocumented migrants are not covered by the statutory health insurance system but by a special system put in place especially for AME). You can find the letter (in French) here and a more recent press release here

PUBLICATIONS

• Migration and health in the European Union

The latest edition of the LSE magazine looks at how European health systems are addressing a vulnerable and dynamic population. There are namely articles on the following issues: 'Migrant health policy: The Portuguese and Spanish EU Presidencies' - 'What can be done in EU Member States to better protect the health of migrants?' - 'Health and well-being among child immigrants in Europe'.

 

• Video for migrants on how to access primary health in Newham (London borough)

Accessing primary health should be possible for everyone who lives in the UK. It is important to access healthcare through the National Health Service (NHS) as this can prevent serious health consequences for people. However, a number of migrants do not access primary health either because they do not know how to or they encounter barriers in doing so.

 

NHS Newham produced an information video on how to access health services in the borough. Even though focused on Newham, it could be useful to migrant groups in other boroughs. The original DVD can be watched in any one of 23 languages. It has been uploaded onto YouTube and is available in several languages including English, French, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, and Somali.

PAST and UPCOMING EVENTS

• Sweden, July 2010: Almedalsveckan - the political week in Gotland founded in 1968 - took place in July and MDM Sweden was present. The objective was to do advocacy work for undocumented migrants' access to health care by discussing with politicians, connect with other NGOs, spread information on the situation prevailing in various EU countries today and hand out flyers to people (and voters in the upcoming elections this autumn). The question triggers much sympathy for the undocumented migrants, especially among the persons who weren't aware of the restrictive Swedish law.

 

• A new member joined the HUMA network: Slovenska Filantropija (Slovene Philanthropy). Slovene Philanthropy is namely very active in the field of immigration. Within the organisation is the Centre for Psycho-Social Assistance to Refugees - which helps asylum seekers and separated minor refugees - and the Centre for the Promotion of Health, which aims to help people whom cannot even afford basic health insurance.