International protection: provisional measures for the benefit of Sweden

2015/0314(NLE)

PURPOSE: to establish provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Sweden, by suspending for one year Sweden's obligations as a Member State of relocation.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2016/946 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Sweden in accordance with Article 9 of Decision (EU) 2015/1523 and Article 9 of Decision (EU) 2015/1601 establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece.

CONTENT: this Decision establishes provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Sweden, in order to support it in better coping with an emergency situation characterised by a sudden inflow of nationals of third countries.

In Sweden, the number of applicants for international protection increased by more than 60 % from 68 245 applicants for the period from 1 January to 31 October 2014 to 112 040 applicants for the period from 1 January to 31 October 2015. In 2015, it had by far the highest number of applicants for international protection per capita in the Union in 2015, with 11 503 applicants per million inhabitants, with one out of four applicants claiming to be an unaccompanied minor.

Taking account of this situation, the Decision stipulates that the obligations of Sweden as a Member State of relocation under Decisions (EU) 2015/1523 and (EU) 2015/1601 shall be suspended until 16 June 2017.

The suspension of Sweden's obligations should be complemented, where appropriate, by operational support measures coordinated by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and by other relevant Agencies.

Sweden should present to the Council and to the Commission a roadmap setting out the measures that it will take in order to ensure the effectiveness of its asylum and migration system and to resume its obligations under Decisions (EU) 2015/1523 and (EU) 2015/1601 once the suspension of its obligations ceases to have effect.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 16.6.2016.