Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF)
Financial support is primarily allocated under the Asylum, Migration and
Integration Fund (AMIF), which provides long-term funding, and the Internal
Security Fund (ISF), which grants emergency funding.
According to the EU
multiannual financial framework 2014-2020, Italy is supposed to receive
EUR 634 m and Greece EUR 561 m. Given the extra needs arising from the
refugee crisis in the meantime, the EU increased these funds by way of
emergency funding in the amount of EUR 189 m and EUR 385 m respectively.
In addition, the EU provides emergency funding to support national authorities
and international organisations (e.g. UNHCR) which provide (humanitarian)
assistance in these countries.
Overall, the EU has made available over EUR 1.5
bn for Greece to help manage the challenges resulting from the refugee crisis
and the external borders. In total, the Commission’s proposal for the EU budget
for asylum policy measures within the EU (refugee crisis and improving
migration management) for the period 2015-2018 amounts to EUR 9.6 bn
(including EUR 1.4 bn for the relevant EU agencies and their operations).
As part of the relocation schemes, nearly 12,000 people from Italy and about
22,000 from Greece have been resettled so far. Since the Commission
launched the first proposals in spring 2015, the schemes have been the subject
of intensive debate. Nevertheless, the Council agreed on the relocation with the
necessary majority, although Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and
Slovakia have refused to participate. The Commission has therefore initiated
infringement proceedings against the first three countries and filed a lawsuit at
the ECJ in December. Slovakia evaded the proceedings by accepting a small
number (16) of asylum seekers.
EU Forecast
euf:ba1.8i:90/nws-01