As the Pirate Party, we are committed to a comprehensive overhaul of European refugee and asylum policy. We believe that Europe should be a beacon of hope and compassion for those seeking protection, rather than a fortress of exclusion.
We recognize our duty to provide refuge to those fleeing political persecution, war, civil strife, discrimination based on gender or sexual identity, climate and environmental disasters, ethnic or religious affiliation, poverty, and hunger. To fulfill this obligation, we advocate for an expansion of asylum grounds and reject any hierarchization of reasons for flight. We also oppose the blanket categorization of countries as “safe countries of origin”, as we believe that asylum seekers have the right to an individual assessment of their situation.
In addition, we firmly believe that Europe’s refugee and asylum policy must be based on respect for human rights and comply with the provisions of the Geneva Refugee Convention and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We call on all member states to receive refugees and asylum seekers according to their capacities, and to implement a European refugee and asylum policy based on solidarity that does not leave individual member states alone with the financial, logistical, and administrative effort.
Rather than building walls and fences, we must take measures to ensure the safe crossing of borders by fleeing people, especially on the seas before Europe, to give them the opportunity to apply for asylum. We demand the creation of a European-funded maritime rescue of Shipwrecked Persons. We condemn the criminalization of private organizations that provide assistance to those seeking protection.
We reject the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (formerly known as FRONTEX), as its illegal practices are a clear expression of the EU’s inhumane policy of exclusion.
We also reject the third-country rule and its specification in the "
Dublin II" regulation, as they push centrally located states away from their responsibility towards those seeking protection. We believe that every person should have the right to choose their place of residence freely and to apply for asylum in the country of their choice. We also oppose the detention of asylum seekers and fast-track procedures at land borders and airports.
When it comes to underage refugees, we call on all member states of the European Union to comply with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We firmly believe that the deportation of unaccompanied minor refugees is not acceptable.
Finally, we believe that Europe has a responsibility to support refugees and asylum seekers, and to provide them with the opportunity to rebuild their lives. We will work tirelessly to ensure that our immigration policies are compassionate, fair, and effective, and that they are based on the principles of human rights and social justice.