2nd March 2020
Greece

To Charles Michel, president of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Heads of Member States,

EUROPE MUST ACT FOR THE IMMEDIATE DECONGESTION OF THE AEGEAN ISLANDS

The Aegean Islands have descended into crisis. 5 years of neglectful EU policy has finally culminated in days of protest (1, 2), NGOs threatened with violence, and mass strikes across the islands. Whilst over 42,000 asylum seekers reside on these islands, there is capacity for just 6,178 (1). Now, communities are braced for a surge in arrivals as Turkey has opened its borders, reneging on the EU-Turkey agreement.

This ongoing political stalemate between the EU, Greece and Turkey must be resolved. This game, played by the powerful, is putting innocent human lives at risk. It must stop now. Added to this already volatile mix is rising panic over the coronavirus. With healthcare severely lacking in the hotspot camps, NGOs fear that an outbreak would have disastrous consequences. 

Greece has been left alone to deal with this crisis - and the island communities more than anyone. Today, Europe must act to correct 5 years of negligent policy-making. It must own up to its chronic shunning of this international burden and recognise that good policy can fix this man-made catastrophe. As the humanitarian situation worsens beyond anyone’s reckoning, it is your responsibility, as EU leaders, to ensure decisive and coordinated action to protect human life. 

We, the undersigned, call for:

1. Immediate action from all Member States to decongest the Aegean Islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros through fair relocation of asylum seekers across European countries for the sake of universal human rights and in accordance with obligations set out under Art 78(3) of the TFEU and the 2001 Directive on Temporary Protection.
2. The immediate provision by EU states of support to, and oversight of, the Greek government’s Reception and Identification Centres, to ensure access to a safe and legal asylum process in accordance with humanitarian law, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights. 
3. The creation of a shared European register of legal, medical and protection staff to support the Greek government through rotational placements in the Aegean in processing asylum applications in a humane, dignified and legal way.

We await the response of the Presidents of the European Council and Commission as well as Heads of Member States to this Open Letter. We remain united in the belief that asylum seekers and refugees have the right to legal processes, that political irresponsibility can be made good through effective and humane policy and governance. Europe must act!

Please join us in demanding that Europe Must Act and sign the Open Letter.

1. Action for Education
2. Adopt A Revolution
3. Advocates Abroad
4. Aid Hoc
5. Aide et Espoir aux Réfugiés-Help & Hope
6. All 4 Humanity Hellas
7. Amala Thessaloniki
8. Amel, be human help others
9. Another Europe Is Possible
10. Are You Syrious?
11. ArmandoAid
12. AsyLex
13. Balloona Matata
14. Basel hilft mit
15. Be Aware and Share
16. Becky’s Bathhouse
17. Better Days
18. BIASAN (Bradford)
19. Boxwise
20. Bras not Bombs
21. Bridge2
22. Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees
23. Calais Action
24. Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group
25. Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign
26. Care4Humanity
27. Cars of Hope, Wuppertal
28. Catch a Smile Luxembourg
29. Choosehumanity Switzerland
30. Chorleywood4Refugees
31. City of Sanctuary UK
32. CivicLeicester
33. Collective Aid
34. Copenhagen Underground
35. DAHUMAS - Dachverband freiwillige humanitäre Hilfe Schweiz
36. Detention Forum
37. Distribute Aid
38. Do Your Part
39. Donate4Refugees
40. Droit de Rester
41. Elmbridge CAN
42. Engage
43. Everyday, just a smile
44. FAST - First Aid Support Team
45. FORGE for Humanity
46. Frankenkonvoi e.V.
47. Glocal Roots
48. GRACEaid
49. Grenzenlose Wärme Refugee Relief Work e.V.
50. Hamburger Hilfskonvoi
51. Heimatstern
52. Hello My Friend
53. Help Refugees / Choose Love
54. Help4Refugee Children
55. Herts for Refugees
56. Hope and Aid Direct
57. HuBB- Humans Before Borders
58. Human-aid-collective e. V.
59. Human Aid Now
60. Humansnation
61. Independent volunteers from Bosnia and Herzegovina
62. Indigo Volunteers
63. Intereuropean Human Aid Association
64. Jesuit Refugee Service - Greece
65. Jugend rettet
66. Khora Community Centre, Athens
67. Kids & Welcome
68. Koraki
69. Kune Aid
70. Latitude Adjustment Podcast
71. LE Solidarity
72. Lighthouse Relief
73. Lochaber Supports Refugees
74. Love Without Borders-For Refugees in Need
75. MARDI Medical Aid for Refugees and Displaced People
76. Mare-Liberum e.V.
77. Marlow Refugee Action
78. Mazí Housing Project
79. Medical Volunteers International e.V
80. Mid-Wales Refugee Action
81. MiGreat
82. mini decki
83. Mobile Flüchtlingshilfe e.V.
84. Mobile Info Team
85. Mαζί/Together/معاً Cyprus
86. No Name Kitchen
87. Northern Lights Aid
88. Norwegian Refugee Council
89. Offene Arme e.V.
90. One Bridge to Idomeni
91. One Family - No Borders
92. One Happy Family
93. Open Cultural Center
94. People in Motion
95. People Not Borders
96. People4People e. V.
97. PomegranateAid
98. Precious Plastic Samos
99. Project Armonia
100. ProtestLEJ
101. ReFOCUS Media Labs
102. RefuComm
103. Refugee 4 Refugees
104. Refugee Aid Network
105. Refugee Biriyani & Bananas
106. Refugee Compassion
107. Refugee Info Bus
108. Refugee Relief
109. Refugee Rescue
110. Refugee Rights Europe
111. Refugee Support EU
112. Refugee Welcome Karoviertel
113. Refugee Women’s Centre
114. Refugees Foundation e.V
115. Refugees Welcome in Olten
116. ResCO international e.V.
117. Rowing Together
118. Rural Refugee Network
119. Safe Passage
120. Salvamento Maritimo Humanitario
121. SAO Association
122. School Bus Project
123. Scottish Refugee Council
124. Sea-Watch e.V.
125. Seebrücke
126. Seebrücke Hannover
127. ShowerPower Foundation
128. Shropshire Music Foundation
129. Smile on the Way
130. Solidarität auf See
131. Solidarité sans frontières Suisse
132. Speak Street
133. Stand for All
134. Stay Human Onlus
135. Stichting Bootvluchteling - Boat Refugee Foundation
136. Support Convoy e.V.
137. Syria Solidarity Campaign
138. The Flying Seagulls
139. The Highlands Support Refugees
140. The Lava Project
141. The Voice of Thousands
142. Three Peas
143. Together100
144. Umino - Unterstützung für Menschen in Not
145. Verein Esperanza
146. Verein FAIR
147. Verein Soliba
148. Visas for Asylum
149. Vivre ensemble - Asile.ch 
150. Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen
151. We Are Here
152. Wiltshire For Refugees
153. Wir packen’s an
154. World At Play NGO
155. Yoga and Sport For Refugees
156. 350.org