Motion for a resolution | Doc. 13281 | 05 July 2013

Morocco: meeting new migration and asylum challenges

Signatories: Ms Tineke STRIK, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Lennart AXELSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Tinatin BOKUCHAVA, Georgia, EPP/CD ; Ms Sílvia Eloïsa BONET PEROT, Andorra, SOC ; Mr Mikael CEDERBRATT, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Ms Viola von CRAMON-TAUBADEL, Germany, SOC ; Mr Damian DRĂGHICI, Romania, SOC ; Baroness Margaret EATON, United Kingdom, EDG ; Mr Tuur ELZINGA, Netherlands, UEL ; Ms Doris FIALA, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Bernard FOURNIER, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Annette GROTH, Germany, UEL ; Mr Alfred HEER, Switzerland, ALDE ; Ms Alev KORUN, Austria, SOC ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Melita MULIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Oleh PANKEVYCH, Ukraine, NR ; Mr Florin Costin PÂSLARU, Romania, SOC ; Mr Ivan POPESCU, Ukraine, SOC ; Mr Volodymyr PYLYPENKO, Ukraine, SOC ; Mr Ivan RAČAN, Croatia, SOC ; Ms Mailis REPS, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr Andrea RIGONI, Italy, ALDE ; Mr Aleksandrs SAKOVSKIS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Jim SHERIDAN, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Vilmos SZABÓ, Hungary, SOC ; Mr Tuğrul TÜRKEŞ, Turkey, EDG ; Ms Anne-Mari VIROLAINEN, Finland, EPP/CD ; Mr Eric VORUZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Klaas de VRIES, Netherlands, SOC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Two years ago, the Parliament of Morocco was granted partner for democracy status by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Morocco has taken important steps forward on its democratic road, including in adopting a new Constitution. On its democratic path it has to face many new challenges, including in relation to migration and asylum. Morocco is no longer only a country of origin for migrants, but also increasingly a destination country and the management of migration is a cause of concern in the country and a growing challenge.

Morocco, as with many new countries of destination, faces responsibilities on integrating migrants, including dealing with issues such as discrimination and access to services, housing and social rights. Morocco is also facing an increasing number of asylum seekers and it is currently looking for ways how to deal with these persons and how to ensure that their rights are respected and that they receive international protection where relevant.

The Assembly should therefore share its experience on migration and asylum with Morocco by examining the migration and asylum challenges faced by the country and then assisting the Moroccan Parliament, Government and civil society, to deal with these new challenges.