Have you as a service provider ever felt pressure to exclude undocumented migrants from the services you provide?
In 2002 the EU adopted a Directive to identify what is meant by facilitation of the entry, transit and residence of undocumented migrants in the EU.
The Facilitation Directive (2002/90/EC) states that anyone who intentionally assists an undocumented migrant to enter or transit across the EU is breaking the law, as well as those who profit financially by helping undocumented migrants to reside in the EU. In many cases, this means organised smuggling rings, employers or landlords who seek to exploit undocumented migrants’ vulnerable position.
However, the Facilitation Directive does not rule out imposing similar sanctions on individuals or organisations that offer humanitarian assistance to undocumented migrants. This could include the provision of emergency shelter, food and medical attention, even if these services are delivered to the undocumented migrant free of charge.
In addition, more and more responsibility is being placed on service providers to report undocumented migrants, putting them in difficult situations that could lead to the suppression of moral conscience, financial penalties and arrest. Service providers should not have to bear the burden of acting as immigration officers.
To address this problem, Social Platform, of which Eurodiaconia is a member, is carrying out a public consultation in order to gather information anonymously to send to the European Commission.
If you as a service provider ever felt pressure to exclude undocumented migrants from the services you provide, we want to hear from you. Please fill in the online form at the bottom of the page: http://www.socialplatform.org/what-we-do/over-arching-campaigns/criminalising-solidarity/#.VTpdt7_5mu8.facebook