Austria today takes over EU presidency

On July 1, 2018 Austria assumes the EU presidency, and with it for the first time has the chairmanship of a right-wing populist coalition in the European Union. Migration will be the central topic of this presidency, Deutsche Welle reports.

The row over a common migration policy in the EU is not over. Even in Germany, the government faces a crisis, the Visegrad states continue the course of confrontation with the EU, Italy closes ports to ships with rescued refugees at sea. A deal was barely reached at the EU summit to better protect EU external borders. The question of how migrants will be distributed remains unanswered at the summit.

Just now, Austria takes over the rotating EU presidency. A country that in the issue of migration has shown little willingness to compromise. The conservative party's Chancellor, ⇩VP, rules Vienna along with the populist party, hostile to foreigners, FP50.

Consensus for external border protection

I believe that people are entitled to be fed up by always hearing about migration at the European level and not actually happening anything”, Chancellor Kurz said a few days ago. The six-month Austrian presidency is held under the motto: „A Europe protecting.” The head of the Austrian government seeks with this motto to reduce immigration on all routes. The EU's recent decision to build camps in North Africa for rescue migrants at sea is for the head of the Austrian government to head the right direction.

Sebastian Kurz rules with FP⇩

Because the closure is already a common goal, says Sebastian Kurz. A positive development for him. The „in 2015 was not like this”, he says. Austria seeks to improve the protection of EU external borders and a massive Frontex expansion. The European Commission will increase the staff of this agency by 10,000 by 2027. Austria and other countries need to be acted more quickly. Because even the last increase in personnel by 1500 is not yet complete. EU countries offer with a lot of policy hesitation available to protect EU external borders.

Saskia Stachowitsch, head of the Institute for International Policy in Vienna, views the rise in the number of Frontex border guards as unrealistic. „Knowing how difficult it was to increase the number of Frontex personnel, I don't believe this is going to be easy. ”

Austria as mediator?

The deal, however, is missing on the issue of what happens to migrants already staying in the EU. The government in Rome requires that known refugees in Italy be distributed to other EU countries. Slovenia and Hungary without success complained against an EU decision by 2015, however, nearly did not accept any refugees. Austria has not fulfilled its quota either.

“A presidency is tasked with uniting fundamental positions”, said Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean St. „I don't think it's good, it's not European, for the Austrian presidency to be obsessed with all means on the side of the states of Visegrad. According to the P.D., without a fair distribution of immigrants within Europe, no dispute over migration will be resolved.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz stressed prior to assuming the presidency that Vienna aims to play a mediating role between tough fronts and to have the function of a bridge binding. It remains to be expected if Austria manages to pass its already very clear position in the second six months, says Yiannis Emmanouilidis, director of the Institute „Europay Centre” in Brussels.

Two fronts, a little while: EU, Brex budget

Another topic in which Austria is sought as mediator is the negotiation of the seven-year European budget. Financial budget 2021-2027 is the first to take place without Great Britain. To compensate for the departure of Great Britain will have to increase net taxpayers' quotas in the EU. Cuz Chancellor rejects these quotas as unacceptable „” and demanded long and difficult „negotiations”. Politologist Yiannis Emmanouilidis says some European states such as Germany seek quick compromise before European elections next year.

Yiannis Emmanouilidis

During the Austrian presidency, the last phase of negotiations for Brex to be closed this year are also held in order for Great Britain to leave in early 2019 with an agreement with the EU. You don't know if this will be achieved. Some important points, such as border controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, have not yet been resolved. It is also unknown whether Great Britain will remain part of the internal European market. The Austrian presidency must mediate, for a compromise to be reached among EU countries, with the aim of quick conclusion of the talks.