Migratieconferentie

Toespraak | 13-12-2011

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you, Minister Leers, for inviting me to the former town hall of Pijnacker for this conference on migration. I would like to welcome the ambassadors and other distinguished guests. I am glad to have this opportunity to explain our policy and to explore how we can further improve our cooperation.

Immigration and asylum policy is an overarching topic for the Dutch government, as set out in our coalition agreement. This means that not just Mr Leers and I but all of our colleagues in the Cabinet have a common objective: to manage migration effectively and efficiently. While the Minister for Immigration and Asylum Policy develops Dutch policy on migration, integration and return, I am responsible for foreign relations in a broader sense.

By its very nature, migration is an international if not transnational matter for which all states share responsibility. Migration is an integral part of foreign policy. The foreign policy aims of this government are to promote prosperity, freedom and security. For me, home and abroad are two sides of the same coin. Foreign relations are always about us and others. For that matter we highly value your cooperation in readmitting irregular migrants, in the interests of security and stability.

Accepting the return of one’s citizens is a duty of states, and is general practice under customary international law. States must accept their nationals’ return and they must facilitate the reintegration of nationals.

In many cases, if an irregular migrant has exhausted all legal remedies and nonetheless will still not comply with a return decision, forced return is the only remaining option. If a person is denied the right to stay, that person will have to leave. But forced return can only work if countries of origin agree and cooperate by readmitting their nationals.

The Dutch government has developed a strategic country approach in order to improve cooperation with countries of origin. In our bilateral relations, migration and return are therefore key priorities. We are seeking to conclude bilateral readmission agreements and Memorandums of Understanding with a number of countries which should be tailor-made. We want agreements that set out clear obligations and procedures, for both the Netherlands and other countries’ authorities, in returning people who are irregularly residing here. Cooperation between our governments is essential.

Migration and return should serve our common interests both economically and socially. The social security system in the Netherlands is one of the best in the world and it goes without saying that this attracts a lot of people from abroad. Here we have to be clear: irregular migrants who travel to the Netherlands for the benefits of our social security system cannot stay here and have to return home. This is one of the main pillars of our migration policy. Countries that work constructively with the Netherlands on readmission, can count on us. We intend to continue our efforts to help returning irregular migrants to settle into their communities in their home countries. Capacity building in the country of origin is part of our long-term approach. This aid, however, is conditional upon your commitment. We count on you to help.

If countries of origin do not cooperate on the return of their own nationals or do not cooperate enough, this may have consequences for bilateral cooperation, especially when it is about development funds channelled through the government.

On the other hand, successful return and readmission of irregular migrants will enhance our relations in the field of development cooperation. Specific projects which the Netherlands supports, include assisting refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons in their home countries and regions.

Similarly, your cooperation on return and readmission will work to your advantage in terms of special orange carpet facilities. We must nevertheless remain vigilant. Turkey recently allowed nationals of specific Arab countries to travel without visa into its territory. Such a decision can create a new flow of irregular migrants who can travel with cheap charter flights to Istanbul. From there irregular migrants can enter the European Union illegally via the Greek borders.

A joint effort is imperative to meet the challenges posed by migration. The Netherlands is ready to do its part. But we ask you to be ready as well. The issue of forced return needs to be tackled by all of us.

Dutch embassies in countries of origin generally maintain excellent relations with the local authorities. This is vital, and we cherish these relationships. I have explicitly told our ambassadors to give due attention to migration in their relations with the authorities over there at all levels. Only a common approach to migration will allow us to prevent human trafficking and exploitation of irregular migrants.

Our efforts are fully in line with those of the European Union. The Netherlands strongly supports the EU’s Global Approach to Migration. Last month, in Poznań and Dakar, progress was made on the issues of readmission, return of third country nationals, and support for their reintegration in their countries of origin.

Ladies and gentlemen,

International mobility is a positive factor in development. We highly value skilled migrants. To attract them, we need clear agreements that disentangle legal from illegal migration, so that migrant workers can work, circular migrants can circulate and returning migrants can return.

Thank you.