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[Global Times Special Correspondent in Germany He Yin] According to Euronews, on the 22nd local time, the foreign ministers of Italy and seven other EU member states issued a joint statement, asking the EU to revise its policy on Syria, adopt a more proactive policy, enhance the EU's political influence and humanitarian aid effects, and allow Syrian refugees to return home safely, voluntarily and with dignity. According to reports, the foreign ministers of Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Greece, the Czech Republic and Cyprus made the above request in a joint letter to Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Data map: On June 13, 2024, local time, in Idlib, Syria, a child walked next to a makeshift tent. (Visual China)

The joint statement said that although the EU has provided about 33 billion euros in humanitarian aid to about 13.8 million refugees in and outside Syria, the situation of Syrian refugees is still very miserable, and many Syrian refugees have become victims of human trafficking organizations seeking huge profits. The EU's Syria strategy has not changed since it was formulated in 2017, and it has not kept up with the current changes. When rethinking the EU's Syria strategy, we should focus on how to ensure the livelihood of the Syrian people, so that no refugees will have to risk going to Europe, and create conditions for Syrian refugees to return home. "We must admit that our policy on Syria is outdated, and now is the time to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the policy strategy."

This joint statement has sparked controversy within the EU. Several representatives from the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Affairs Committee criticized that the recommendations in the statement were not operational. These representatives believe that if Syrian refugees are to return to their country "safely, voluntarily and with dignity", it means that the EU must start to restart "substantive and constructive dialogue" with the Syrian government and provide aid funds to create conditions for return. In May of this year, the EU Council announced that the EU's restrictive measures against Syria would be extended to June 1, 2025. The current restrictive measures target a total of 316 individuals and 86 entities. These individuals and entities have had their assets frozen, and EU citizens and companies are prohibited from providing them with funds. The relevant personnel are also subject to travel bans and cannot enter or transit through EU countries.