Autonomy

It seems that is no longer the case.

Migration crisis: new public mood poses dilemma for Cameron | World news | The Guardian

Also an agreement announced between France, Germany and Italy on how to distribute refugees.

NorthernLad

That picture is utterly heartbreaking.

No matter what you view is on how to deal with migrants, seeing that picture has to make anyone with a heart realise they need help.

How desperate must you be to get in a little dinghy that is more suitable in a swimming pool than the open sea, with young children in attempt to escape your home country??

These people aren't looking to live an huge house, with a Mercedes in the drive and a weekly shop to Waitrose...they just want to get their families somewhere safe, something a lot of us take for granted.

Inselaffen

Although the vast majority of Syrian refugees are probably legitimate refugees there is also clearly an economic element to their choice of final country. You don't hear of them heading towards Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan etc

Inselaffen

It is truly heartbreaking but they were already in a safe country. They were trying to cross from Turkey to Greece.

Autonomy

I think that's a bit incorrect - most refugees flee to neighbouring countries.

Look at Lebanon & Jordan - over 1 million.

Makes the European "situation" rather small...

scrubbedexpat141

Yes, horrid photo. Sickening.

It's difficult, the desire it seems for lots of refugees is not to appeal for asylum in some of the countries they pass through on the way to Germany.

Are asylum laws / regs the same across the EU or vary drastically?

Inselaffen

yes very different. For example Slovakia announced they would only accept Christians in order to protect their culture

scrubbedexpat141

I'm not sure about this, I can agree because on one hand fleeing violence for safety is surely the ultimate goal - ie; Turkey and wherever someone lands that's safe should be 'enough'. But on the other hand, if one country offers a better prospect, I know what I'd try and do.

scrubbedexpat141

Right. I only know and understand little bits of a very complicated, recent history in that area.

NorthernLad

OK - somewhere safe and where they will have more chance of being treated well...the same any of us would do for our families.

If you've not seen this, take a look at the photo of the guys face selling biros just to get some money to live. Can you imagine having to do that just to eat?

The pen-seller of Beirut - BBC News

Inselaffen

but then the country offering a better prospect would have legitimate reason for refusing your asylum claim.

It's easier for Germany to take the moral high ground on this as their population has actually fallen by at 800,000 in the last 20 years. In the same period the British population increased by 5 million and the French by 6 million.

UK had net migration of 177,000 in 2014, Germany 42,000

scrubbedexpat141

I think the last bit of my point is what's relevant. If I'm in Turkey having just escaped a horrid situation I'd want to put myself and family in the best possible place for the future. I'd probably look at Germany or the UK etc as a better prospect than Hungary or Greece (for example).

scrubbedexpat141

Stats and Graphics

BBC EU Migration stats

Inselaffen

no doubt that is what most would try to do. But those more desirable countries cannot just open the gates and allow everybody to move there.

scrubbedexpat141

Well, by the looks of it, Hungary appears to be doing it's level best to make that journey impossible.

I think I read somewhere that where someone lands in the EU is where they are meant to have asylum assessed. Not sure how realistic that is.