Debaters demand that the EU put pressure on Turkey on the migration issue

The EU's conflict with Turkey over who will receive the many migrants continues. Several debaters believe that the EU must put pressure on Turkish President Erdogan to reach a new migration agreement. In addition, this week WWF has been criticized for its support for cotton certifications.

The EU must immediately suspend negotiations with Turkey on EU membership, according to Christian Democrats Ebba Busch Thor and David Lega. "It must cost to violate the EU's fundamental values," they write in Svenska Dagbladet and believe that Erdogan uses desperate people as game pieces in a cynical power game.

Sydsvenskan's main leader argues that the EU should not only lean on the action plan launched by the EU Commission. The Union must unite, choose the path of refugee reception and agree with Turkey. The refugee agreement between the EU and Turkey, rather than changes in Swedish refugee legislation, has been the main factor in the migration patterns looking different now compared to 2015, the newspaper writes.

The Center Party's EU parliamentarian Abir Al-Sahlani agrees that Erdogan's decision to open the border with Greece is a reprehensible political game with human life. She also criticizes the EU for lack of responsibility and points out the lack of a renewed migration agreement, and how Greece has long had to act as the "shield of Europe". A common migration policy is needed, "so Europe can continue to be a place where people find peace and freedom", writes Al-Sahlani in Aftonbladet.

Another topic that has been debated over the past week is the negative impact environmental certifications - such as the one for cotton, BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) - have on consumer behavior. Associate Professor Cecilia Solér criticizes, among other things, the WWF for contributing to irresponsible behavior by referring to Sustainable Cottons Ranking 2020, which uses the BCI certification.

Cecilia Solér believes that the certification has a problematic definition of sustainability that allows chemical pesticides, irrigation and genetically modified seeds. “Since 2010, the production of organic cotton has halved […]. In all probability due to the fact that the demand for organically grown cotton has decreased as cheaper 'sustainable' cotton is available within the framework of BCI ", writes Cecilia Solér in Svenska Dagbladet.

Daniel Robertson at WWF responds in a reply that "no cotton can be classified as 'fully durable'". He agrees that the proportion of conventionally grown cotton on the market is too large. But the change is costly, he says and presents the purpose of BCI: "It is about raising the issue of cotton production and urges both companies and consumers to push for the demand for more sustainable cotton," writes Daniel Robertson at WWF.

A selection of the last week's editorial and debate articles about Sweden's role in the world: