CRISIS IN CRISIS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: HOW DID THE EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS RESPOND TO IMMIGRANTS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS?

BELIZ KORKMAZ

YEDITEPE UNIVERSITY

POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

PSIR 332 EUROPEAN UNION

I- Introduction

European Union is a sui generis organization with 27 member states and 6 institutions. All the member states have shared values like liberty, democracy, respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and rule of law. European Union is more than an IGO but less than a fully-fledged state. If European Union moves towards to IGO side, it creates intergovernmentalism. On the other hand, when European Union has superior authority to nation states, especially in the decision-making process, it creates supranationalism.

It is possible to distinguish the institutions of the European Union supranational and intergovernmental. Commission is a supranational institution which made up from eurocrats and they supposed to promote interest of European Union, representing the European perspective. European Parliament is also a supranational organization which created by MEPs elected by EU citizens and represent their interest. In addition, European Court of Justice and European Central Bank are supranational bodies in the European Union. On the other hand, head of governments of 27 member states create European Council and ministers of member states create Council of EU, both are in the side of intergovernmentalism, so they promote their states’ interest.

This study will examine, how these supranational (Commission, European Parliament, European Central Bank) and intergovernmentalism (Council of EU) institutions respond the migration crisis when the European Union in COVID-19 Crisis? European Union faced a major crisis in 2008. ‘The collapse of the investment bank Lehman Brothers engendered an international financial crisis. It was originally a banking crisis with states saving banks with high costs, but it turned a sovereign debt crisis. In addition to the harmful effects on national and EU budgets, distrust towards states and banks emerged. Countries with low competitiveness experienced serious problems, especially in the eurozone. The economic crisis is special because saving requirements overshadow all contemporary public policymaking which needs fiscal means. The restrictive consequences on public budgets induced by the economic crises were felt most strongly in the fields of European Union trade, migration, health, energy and climate policies’ (Falkner, 2016). Then, European Union faced two crises in these areas: migration and health. In 2015, hundreds of thousands of people suffering because of war escape mostly from Syria and came to the EU borders and in 2019, the virus named COVID-19 spread all around the world, including European Union countries. The European Union must response both at the same time.

II- How did the COVID-19 Crisis Affect the European Union? How did the European Union Institutions Respond COVID-19 Crisis?

The world is facing the reality of epidemic many times throughout history. In 1350s, the plague that hit Europe was a huge epidemic that killed 3 percent of the population or Spanish Flu(H1N1 influenza virus) which spread to 500 million people starting from 1918 and caused the death of 50 to 100 million healthy people worldwide with high fever. Nowadays, the world fight with another epidemic, it is COVID-19 known as Coronavirus. COVID-19 virus was first spotted in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei region, in December 2019. Then, day by day, virus spread almost all over the world and on 11 March 2020, COVID-19 has been declared a global epidemic by World Health Organization. The first case in European Union countries confirmed in France on January,25. ‘As June 6, there are 1.425.607 confirmed cases and 168,669 deaths reported in the EU/EEA and the UK’(European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2020).

The European Union faced with a health crisis but in the union, there is a subsidiarity principle. ‘Subsidiarity principle serves to regulate the exercise of Union’s non-exclusive powers. It does not let Union intervention when an issue can be dealt with effectively by Member States at central, regional or local level’ (Pavy, 2020). So, European Union has not right to take health measurements for member states.

The European Commission with the president Ursula von der Leyen coordinates a common European response for the coronavirus pandemic. First, coronavirus response team was formed and then they started creating a common response. This response includes public health, travel, transportation, research, innovation, fighting disinformation, jobs, economy and solidarity. ‘The Commission directly support the healthcare systems of EU countries with €3 billion from the EU budget, matched with €3 billion from the Member States, to fund the Emergency Support Instrument and RescEU’s common stockpile of equipment’ (European Commission, 2020). These funds used for medical equipment like gloves, facemasks, ventilators. The commission also made suggestions about wearing facemasks and social distancing. In addition, European Commission prepared guidelines for supply and mobility of medicines, testing methodologies and mobile apps about COVID-19 and it has taken steps to facilitate the production and distribution of personal protective equipment in cooperation with the member states. For the borders and mobility, The European Commission decided to restrict non-essential travel to EU but free movement continue for healthcare and food sector workers. Also, ‘The Commission issued guidelines on 'green lanes' to Member States to ensure speedy and continuous flow of goods across the EU and to avoid bottlenecks at key internal border crossing points’(European Commission, 2020). Last, The Commission supported researches for treatment and vaccination. In total, with donations and the Commission’s pledge, €9.8 billion collected for use in researches. One of the most important issue for the supranational European Commission is solidarity. For example; ‘Romanian voluntary doctors and nurses went to the Italy to aid in treating the people infected with coronavirus, for 14 days.’(Romania Journal, 2020) On the other hand, ‘Ursula von der Leyen extended a heartfelt apology to Italy on behalf of Europe, admitting that it had not been by its side since the beginning of crisis’ (Gill, 2020). Italy is the most effected country in the coronavirus crisis but European Union’s solidarity could not be effective in Italy case.

The other supranational organ in the European Union is the European Parliament, members directly elected by EU citizens. During the COVID-19 Crisis, the parliament continue to discuss and voting for rules. The economy is slowed down because of the COVID-19 outbreak. ‘Members of the European Parliament have called for a €2 trillion fund for the EU’s next long-term budget. Before voting on the revision plans of the EU budget after 2020, Parliament's budget committee chairman Johan von Overtveldt said that economic recovery would be slow and gradual. He called on other institutions to draw attention to the Parliament's position. This recovery fund is the best response to the crisis in the long run’ (European Parliament, 2020). With this fund, the European Parliament aimed to take a solid step towards EU citizens and the future of the European Union. In addition, ‘in these times, European Parliament opened its doors to the most vulnerable ones. Institution buildings in Belgium, Luxembourg and France help those who are most affected by coronavirus as much as possible. Homeless women are placed in one of the buildings in Brussels. Doctors at the facilities in Strasbourg are working to make as many tests as possible. In all three countries, chefs prepare free meals’ (United Nations, 2020). The European Parliament underlines solidarity with this attitude.

European Central Bank plays an important role during the pandemic because it administers monetary policies of eurozone. ‘On March 18, the European Central Bank announced that it will receive additional European corporate and government bonds named ‘coronabonds’ worth 750 billion euros this year. It reported that it aimed to compensate for the negative effects of the coronavirus epidemic’ (Jones, 2020). In this decision, European Union’s interests and member states’ interests collided because Germany, Netherlands, Austria and Finland did not support coronabonds because they are fiscally conservative countries. In addition, ‘the Commission’s economic measures will complement the European Central Bank’s €1,350 billion Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme of private and public securities during the crisis, in addition to the €120 billion programme decided earlier’ (European Commission, 2020). During the COVID-19 Crisis, European Central Bank worked both to take its own measures and to support other institutions.

The European Council and Council of the Europe responding this crisis deciding to activate full mode of Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR). The Integrated Political Crisis Response provides ‘rapid and coordinated decision-making at EU political level for major complex crisis, the presidency of Council coordinates the political response to the crisis by bringing together: EU institutions, affected member states and other key actors’ (European Council /Council of European Union, 2020). The full activation mode provides to prepare a coordinated European Union Response. In this crisis The Council of the European Union’s major work is to support all EU organs to create a Global EU Response to the pandemic. Also, the Council of the Europe Union has power of decision-making and it use this power during the Crisis. ‘The Council adopted two legislative acts to quickly release funding from the EU budget for tackling the COVID-19 crisis. One of the acts amends rules of structural and investment funds, while the other extends the scope of the EU Solidarity Fund’ (European Council/Council of European Union, 2020). With these two acts, member states can strengthen their healthcare systems and also it will be helpful for small/medium sized enterprises.

The COVID-19 pandemic effects almost all organs of the European Union. While they are different perspectives on intergovernmentalism and supranationalism, they are facing with this pandemic, together. Even the institutions fail for the solidarity (Italian case), they show an example of collective action.

III- Background of Migration Crisis in the European Union

At the very beginning, what is the meaning of irregular/illegal/undocumented (sans-papier) migration? They all mean the same thing: ‘movements of persons that takes places outside the laws, regulations or international agreements governing the entry into or exit from state of origin, transit or destination’ (International Organization for Migration, n.d.). Under international law, even if they have migrated irregularly, the state must protect their rights. At the same time, the state does not have the power to punish if they came from a place without life security.

Europe faced its worst migration crisis in 2015. The Syrian Civil War was the major reason for the migration and violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, too. Most of the migrants came to the EU borders by a dangerous way, boat carrying. ‘According to IOM, 3770 migrants have died trying to cross Mediterranean in 2015’ (BBC, 2016). The countries that migrants came, apply different policies. For example, Germany applied open-door policy in 2015. According to this policy, ‘refuges from Syria no longer had to be sent back to the first EU country that they engaged. Germen Chancellor Angela Merkel declared “Wir schaffen das” meant “We can do this”’ (Dockery, 2017). On the other hand, Hungary applied the zero refugee policy because Prime Minister Victor Orban believed that refugees bring insecurity and they erode Hungarian culture. One of the major turning points of migrant crisis is the Syrian boy (Aylan Kurdi) found lying face-down on a beach in Turkey. This event pushed Europe to remember responsibility to help. ‘In the same month, September 2015, the slogan ‘Refugees Welcome’ becomes a symbol for solidarity movements’ (Azizi, 2018).

The first thing that European Union did, activating information sharing mode of IPCR to coordinate crisis. The aim was ‘monitor the development of migratory flows, support decision-making and better implement the agreed measures. Then, they activate full mode to handle the migration crisis at EU level to better identify needs and to help coordinate’ (European Council/Council of the European Union, 2020). In the 2016, Hungary, Slovenia and Austria tightened their borders because they are the primary routes for the refuges. As a result, thousands of migrants tightened in Greece. Accordingly, The European Union-Turkey Statement is signed. According to this statement, for each Syrian returned to Turkey from Greece, another Syrian will be resettled in the EU. ‘The EU-Turkey deal pledged, by the European Commission, €3 billion of European funds, from both institutions and individual states, to improve the humanitarian situation for Syrian refugees in Turkey with more to follow’ (Long, 2018). Also, with this statement, 1 new EU membership chapter opened for Turkey and 5 more planned.

To go a back a little more, in 2013, EU-Turkey Readmission Agreement is signed. This agreement pledged visa liberation to Turkey in the Schengen zone. It created some concerns because irregular migrants in Turkey would be a part of Schengen zone. This agreement showed that; ‘the European trend on migration and asylum; a trend driven by the will to strengthen external borders in order to sustain internal free movement within.’ European Union tried to use this agreement like migration control mechanism but even European Union use its supranationalism and make this agreement, practically they are the states who will experience it. Commissioner Cecilia Malmström explained this situation in these words; ‘A readmission agreement between the EU and Turkey at the moment risks to undermine the right to asylum in Europe and spread abuses faced by third country nationals in Turkey’ (Euromed Rights, 2018).

Coming to 2020, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has announced the opening of borders to immigrants to Europe. ‘“What did we do yesterday?” he said in a televised speech in Istanbul. “We opened the doors.” His comments were his first to acknowledge what he had long threatened to do: push some of the millions of Syrian refugees and other migrants in Turkey toward Europe in order to cajole the European Union to heed Turkey’s demands’ (Stevis-Gridneff/Gall, 2020). President Erdogan wanted the support of European Union, in military terms in the Syrian conflict and economically for the displaced refugees in Turkey. President Erdogan accused the European Union of failing to keep its promises. From this point, more than 10.000 refugees made their way to Europe from Turkey, actually to Greek border. The Greek polices and army came to the Greek border to take under control the refugees. Greece act like a shield for the European Union. After this, President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen came to visit Greek border. She said, ‘“This border is not only a Greek border, it is also a European border … I thank Greece for being our European aspida in these times’’’ (Rankin, 2020).

According to IOM, almost 17000 refugees died at sea, died travelling overland and died within the EU, since 2015. These are only the deaths recorded. During this migration crisis, European Union acted on managing the refugees rather than helping them. Its first aim was always protecting its borders and resettlement of refugees. In this way, European Union used its ‘golden carrot’ in Turkey. The primary needs of refugees such as shelter and health have always been in the background. In 2018, ‘Amnesty International calls the condition an ‘open wound’ for European Union and human rights’ (ANSA, 2018). Today, this open wound is still not closed.

IV- Crisis in Crisis: Covid-19 VS. Migration

One of the groups most affected by coronavirus is undoubtedly refugees. They are in very harsh conditions in the refugee camps and on front of the borders. Even if there is no coronavirus, they are very susceptible to diseases because there is no healthcare services or hygienic conditions. Almost a month after the first case appeared in the European Union borders, nearly 13.000 refugees waiting at Greek border. This chapter will examine, how the European Commission and European Parliament response refugees during the Covid-19 crisis.

The Commission, first, provide an additional budget (€50 million) for improve refugees’ conditions during the COVID-19. In addition, the Commission, ‘decided to build five multi-purpose reception and identification centers on the Greek Islands. The five reception centres will ensure proper accommodation for third-country nationals until their asylum application is examined’(European Comission, n.d.). This additional budget aims to slow down spread of virus between refugees. ‘It will also go towards services and emergency items (e.g. food but also non-food items) in the new camps, additional medical teams, increased support to the Greek Asylum Service, and the deployment of border guards and police officers at Greece’s external borders. Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, 17 Member States have offered more than 90,000 items of in-kind assistance to Greece, such as shelter, health and sanitation items, some of these used to support efforts in preventing a coronavirus outbreak. Furthermore, Austria, Czechia, France, the Netherlands and Denmark offered additional hygiene, medical and sanitary materials, as well as non-alimentary items (blankets, sleeping bags, pillows) and accommodation and medical care containers, to help support the Greek authorities with the decongestion of the refugee camps in the Aegean Islands’ (European Commission, n.d.). All these assistances coordinated and co-financed by European Union. The Commission as a supranational organ of European Union, wanted to protect solidarity and with the contribution of member states a collective action created.

European Parliament took steps for create an influence over other institutions. According to MEPs, European Union should need to response harmoniously to refugees during the COVID-19 crisis. MEPs called for more support for medical equipment, shelter for families. MEPs demand an action plan and this action plan should include: ‘preventive evacuation of the population at high risk including those older than 60 and people with respiratory conditions, diabetes of other diseases; increased cooperation amongst EU member states’ health care systems; additional financial resources for increased hospitalization capacity and intensive care, and relocation, in particular of children, must not be put on hold due to the pandemic’ (European Parliament, 2020). European Parliament tried to create a strict common response for refugees.

V- Conclusion

To summarize, this study tried to examine the situation of the European Union in the face of the crisis during the crisis. Migrant crisis has been raging since 2015 for European Union and in 2020, Coronavirus crisis added to list for European Union and for the world. It was unpredictable and no country or organization was ready for this virus.

Even there will be no strictly true control of COVID-19 pandemic, but European Union fails to take immediate action for refugees. It was late for its own member, Italy, in this case refugees were staying in background as always. In the migrant crisis, European Union act like a realist state that think about its own interest, it is why it fails to take rapid action. It was not predictable that the pandemic and migrant crisis in Greek border came at same time. The European Union should manage two of them at the same time but could not show a sufficient degree of coordination.

However, even the organs separate on their perspective; supranational or intergovernmental, during the pandemic they tried to create a common response for its members and neighborhoods.

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