The European Commission is awarding €3.1 million to Cyprus in emergency assistance to step up its reception capacity and transform the temporary emergency centre “Pournaras” into a fully-fledged first reception centre.
The funds are part of a €305m in additional emergency assistance to support migration and border management in Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Croatia. They will support efforts to increase reception capacity, protect victims of human trafficking and strengthen border surveillance and management capacity.
The emergency funding will be provided under the Commission’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF), and is part of the €10.8 billion for migration, border management and internal security already mobilised by the Commission for the period 2014-20.
The European Commission said the funding will ensure that the centre can function as a “one-stop shop”, operating on a 24/7 basis.
Services provided will include medical examination, registration, fingerprinting, screening, information provision, and the possibility to submit an asylum application.
The emergency assistance is part of the Commission’s efforts to reinforce migration management support for Cyprus after the country has seen arrival figures increase significantly in the course of 2018.
The funds are part of a €305m in additional emergency assistance to support migration and border management in Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Croatia. They will support efforts to increase reception capacity, protect victims of human trafficking and strengthen border surveillance and management capacity.
The emergency funding will be provided under the Commission’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF), and is part of the €10.8 billion for migration, border management and internal security already mobilised by the Commission for the period 2014-20.
The European Commission said the funding will ensure that the centre can function as a “one-stop shop”, operating on a 24/7 basis.
Services provided will include medical examination, registration, fingerprinting, screening, information provision, and the possibility to submit an asylum application.
The emergency assistance is part of the Commission’s efforts to reinforce migration management support for Cyprus after the country has seen arrival figures increase significantly in the course of 2018.
It came as Eurostat figures showed that Cyprus had the highest rate of registered first time asylum applicants relative to its population in the European Union in the third quarter of 2018
The new funding comes on top of almost €40 million allocated to migration management for the period 2014-2020, and nearly €1 million of emergency funding for migration awarded in 2014.
The new funding comes on top of almost €40 million allocated to migration management for the period 2014-2020, and nearly €1 million of emergency funding for migration awarded in 2014.
The European Asylum Support office is currently deploying 29 caseworkers to support Cyprus in clearing the backlog of asylum applications due to increased arrivals in recent years.
Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said: “The Commission is committed to continue supporting Member States under migratory pressure. The additional €305 million awarded this week to several countries will address urgent needs by ensuring that new arrivals are accommodated adequately and have access to food and water, that the safety and security of the most vulnerable is guaranteed, and that border controls are strengthened where needed.”
Greece will receive €289m, Italy €5.3m and Croatia €6.8m.
