Thread by @evegeddie

1/ #MigrationPact and #RuleofLaw: a thread

Member states hostile to #RuleofLaw and to EU values, are also those most hostile to migrants & refugees.

This is neither a surprise nor a concidence.

theguardian.com/law/2020/apr/0…

2/ With "return sponsorship" 🇪🇺#MigrationPact envisages countries 'hostile to migrants' would be tasked with detention and deportation.

This is worrying on a number of levels.

ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/…

3/ Essentially, the EU's "dirty work" of detention and returns will be farmed out to member states where the EU has *serious concerns* regarding judicial independence, freedom of expression, corruption, rights of minorities, and the situation of migrants and refugees.

4/ To member states where there are growing concerns about the crackdowns on media freedom and against organisations providing legal and humanitarian assistance to migrants and refugees.

curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/do…

5/ In May 2020,🇭🇺 was found to have broken EU law by illegally detaining two families *for more than a year* without any access to a court.

🇭🇺 then “refused to accept” the ruling of the CJEU that this was "detention".

curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/do…

6/ Since 2015, @amnesty has documented how 🇭🇺 restricted access to asylum, detained people arbitrarily, violent pushed backs, and *denied food* to people waiting for deportation.
amnesty.org/en/latest/news…

7/ At this crucial moment for the future of Europe, #migrationpact is an opportunity to affirm that solidarity, human rights & rule of law *are* EU values.

Instead 🇪🇺 risks fanning the flames of two biggest policy/leadership crises it has faced; #migration and #ruleoflaw.

8/ What trade-offs will the Commission & Council need to make keep "the deporters" happy?

What is to stop "the deporters" from resorting to Erdoğan-style "open the gates" threats if facing #Article7 procedure or #ruleoflaw budget conditionality?

9/ What will this mean for the EU's efforts to prevent #ruleoflaw backsliding?

politico.eu/article/how-vi…

10/ Intended to build a united, common approach, this aspect of the Pact risks further division, deadlock & crises.

#Migrationpact will likely shape the #ruleoflaw situation at EU and national level, and 🇪🇺's ability to provide much needed global leadership on human rights.