IPCM statement on the situation in Catalonia

The International Platform for Cooperation and Migration (IPCM/PICM), which brings together some 20 social organizations from various European countries, wants to state publicly its position on the serious events taking place in Catalonia, Spain:

1. The IPCM, since its creation and according to its statutes, promotes "the principles of defense of freedom, democracy, Christian humanism, tolerance, human development and social welfare."
   
   
2. For this reason, the IPCM sees with great concern the division that the extremist nationalist ideology has produced within Catalan society, as well as the constant violation of the legal and constitutional framework by the Catalan authorities, whose project involves not only breaking Spain but also leaving the European Union.
   
   
3. The IPCM reiterates its firm commitment to European values based on the rule of law, individual rights, non-discrimination, subsidiarity and solidarity between territories and states.
   
   
4. Precisely because of its continued attention to migrants, the IPCM is especially supportive of those who, because of their origin or language, are being discriminated or threatened.
   
   
5. As an international platform, the IPCM is strictly respectful of international law, the existence of states and their sovereignty, as is undoubtedly the case of the Kingdom of Spain.
   
   
6. The IPCM fully relies on the government of Spain, in dialogue with political parties, to restore constitutional order and to avoid the social confrontation provoked by ideological reasons typical of the 30's of last century.

October 11, 2017

Together with EZA, the IPCM co-organised a European seminar on immigration in the city of Melilla (Spain), on 23-26 February 2017.

Its members visited the city and became acquainted with its culture, the border fence, the passage of vehicles and pedestrians across the border and the CETI (Temporary accommodation centre for immigrants).

As a result, the IPCM:

Acknowledges with satisfaction the efforts of the people and authorities of Melilla to build a city that is a model of coexistence and social cohesion in a society characterised by cultural and religious diversity.

Appreciates the complex work of the Spanish authorities on this land border of the EU, across which 40,000 people pass daily, freely and in a normal way. It also values ??the work of reception and identification of refugees and immigrants, security and good neighbourliness with Morocco.

Strongly reaffirms the need to achieve a common European immigration and asylum policy, which would give consistent answers to the challenges presented and analysed at this seminar, with particular reference to Spain, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Italy and France.

Calls on authorities and individuals to reinforce development cooperation generously, in particular through NGOs, in order to contribute to improving living conditions for people in their countries of origin.

Strongly supports human development, human rights, the right to emigrate and not to, international law and good international relations.

Calls for greater respect and care for people arriving from distant locations, even if they are in a situation of illegality or lack of documentation; and calls for firm reinforcement of the fight against trafficking in human beings and other threats to life and dignity.

Sincerely thanks EZA for its co-organisation, EZA, the European Union for its funding and the technical organisation dept. of Humanism and Democracy (H+D). It also gratefully acknowledges the hospitality and cordiality of the city of Melilla, received through the local and state authorities, representatives of cultural or religious communities, and the special attention of the media.

With these words, the President of the European Centre for Workers' Affairs (EZA), the former Dutch MEP, Bartho Pronk, recognised the importance of the good migration management by the Spanish authorities in Melilla, as opposed to a chaotic situation reigning in other European countries. These declarations were made after his visit to the Temporary Accommodation Centre for Immigrants in Melilla (CETI in its Spanish acronym) and the perimeter of the Spanish-Moroccan border.

The seminar Migration phenomena and EU migration policy: an analytical reflection and perspectives within the European Social Dialogue (see programme) brought together representatives of nine European countries in Melilla.

This was organised by the International Platform for Cooperation and Migration - IPCM - in collaboration with H+D and the  Melilla Culture dept., on 24 and 25 February. The seminar was funded by the European Union and the European Centre for Workers' Affairs (EZA).