Vijf vragen aan de Zweedse minister van migratie- en asielbeleid (en)

…Tobias Billström, Sweden’s Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy. This week, the EU’s ministers for justice and home affairs gather for an informal meeting in Stockholm. Tobias Billström will host the part of the meeting dealing with migration issues. The Stockholm Programme will be the focus of the meeting.

Generally speaking, what are the issues that the ministers responsible for migration issues will discuss at the informal JHA meeting? 

“We will discuss the section of the Stockholm Programme dealing with asylum and migration. The Stockholm Programme is the work programme that will form the basis of the EU’s work over the next five years.”

What do you consider the most important issue that will be discussed at these talks?

“One important issue is the continued work to create a common asylum system. The system must be founded upon the rule of law and solidarity. Another important issue is to create ways for legal migration, labour immigration, to the EU.”

What are the weaknesses that exist in the asylum and migration cooperation in the EU today?

“That asylum applications do not receive equal treatment in the 27 EU Member States.  Today, in which Member State you apply for asylum has more of an impact on your application than your grounds for protection.   Changes must be made. The EU must be more open and attractive for labour immigration in order to compete with the USA, Canada and other countries that are significantly better at attracting labour.”

As holder of the EU Presidency, Sweden wants to work to increase labour immigration.  What is your objective in this matter?

“To create ways for those who want to to come and work in the EU.  Every Member State must continue to be allowed to decide how much labour immigration they want to receive based on the needs of the labour market, but we need to agree on the framework.”  

What are your hopes in general ahead of the negotiations in this area during the Swedish Presidency?

“That we can agree on the Stockholm Programme so that it can be adopted in December. In all our work, it is important to stand up for the principle of transparency and not give in to protectionism that may follow in the wake of the economic crisis.”

You can find more information on the informal ministerial meeting via the links on the right.