DUBLIN REGULATION

Couple of weeks a go, I saw this extremely disturbing documentary about European Union's border patrol. Now, when I say disturbing, I really mean a video footage that you honestly can't view with out thinking or at least saying couple hundred of times these three words: " Oh. My. God" and at the same time trying to gasp for air. 

You'll come to learn that the way these asylum seekers are treated in the borders is the most disgusting and  inhuman way possible that one can be treated like without anyone finding out. But that just it. Somebody did find out, and they even made a documentary about it. Vice News has done very good job with this documentary, and I honestly couldn't agree with them more when they show that Europe hasn't done really good job with handling this sort of crisis.

 I don't in any way indicate that I know better, or I know where the EU budget should be put to use, but what happens in Europe really concerns us as a society. We learn from our leaders, from our governments and being naive and thinking that European Union has this "master plan" to handle this  crisis in couple of years time is completely ludicrous. This is only going to get worse. This is two-sided situation that not only effects our laws and up coming regulations, but also our economic balance.

(This is the documentary.)

Now, what really is the topic of this post is the Dublin Regulation that will be the main issue (in legal mind of course) of the documentary. I still haven't studied European Union law that thoroughly in the University to even know understand this regulation in the whole picture, but I did try to find out what it really means and I sort of did. 

The definition of Dublin Regulation is,

The objective of this Regulation is to identify as quickly as possible the Member State responsible for examining an asylum application, and to prevent abuse of asylum procedures.

ACT

Council Regulation (EC) No 343/2003 of 18 February 2003 establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the Member State responsible for examining an asylum application lodged in one of the Member States by a third-country national.

This Regulation establishes the principle that only one Member State is responsible for examining an asylum application. The objective is to avoid asylum seekers from being sent from one country to another, and also to prevent abuse of the system by the submission of several applications for asylum by one person.

The objective and hierarchical criteria are therefore defined in order to identify the Member State responsible for each asylum application.

Meaning that the Member State, as the European country that is member of the EU, has a right to make sure the asylum seeker, when given the asylum place in that country, cannot abuse the welfare laws of the country or any other EU country. This, in a way, is a good thing, right? But, will that not cost more to the EU? These people that come to EU are people in need of the medical attention, a place to live in, work, education and lot more.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm all about human rights and making sure everyone has equal rights to live the life they were given. But there is the humanitarian clause in Dublin Regulation that according to this documentary is not adding up. And I don't want anyone that comes fro outside of EU think that this is a paradise for them. Things here are lot better, I know that. But living the life that is shown in the documentary is not worth it when you have people that depends on you. But then again, who am I to determine what is better life, when I haven't even walked a single mile in their shoes.

Here is couple links you should check if this issue interest you: 

http://europeanlawblog.eu/?p=1271

http://unyouknow.org/2014/07/13/the-european-asylum-policy-failure-of-the-dublin-iii-regulation/

- Narcissa