The European Union (EU) did not fulfil its promise to offer a safe passage for 50,000 refugees in a two-year programme, which will be completed in 31 October, according to DW News.
The EU started the two-year resettlement programme back in 2017, with plans to be completed by the end of this month. However, Europe has only received 37,520 people during the programme. Among the remaining 12,480 are people evacuated from Libya on a promise of resettlement in Europe.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees declared that “the slow progress” of the European countries was one of the factors to obstruct the evacuation of people facing violence during the civil war.
“I both commend and continue calling on member states to step up their efforts and to make sure they deliver on their pledges as quickly as possible,” said Dimitris Avramopoulos, the outgoing EU migration commissioner.
Germany promised to accept 10,200 people in the program, but received only 4,800 so far. However, Sweden and UK have already fulfilled their promise to receive 8,750 and 7,800 respectively.
Despite pledging 200 places in Luxembourg, the country has yet to receive a single one. Belgium and Ireland have only received about half of their pledges.
Moreover, a spokesperson from the European Commission has admitted that the target will not be reached by the end of October.
