The EU wants to use an asylum crisis regulation to help states where particularly large numbers of migrants arrive. Because the Greens are against it, Berlin was threatened with a veto. But Chancellor Scholz apparently now spoke out.
Germany apparently wants to give up resistance to the planned crisis regulation in European asylum policy. According to information from the Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz made the decision ARD capital studios at the cabinet meeting that Berlin would “neither stop nor block” the reform of the European asylum system in Brussels. The “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” reports, citing government circles, that the Chancellor has given a “power word”.
The Crisis Regulation is part of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). There was a dispute about the regulation, especially between the FDP and the Greens. FDP General Secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai had sharply criticized the Greens’ previous course. “Whether in reforms at the European level or in the classification of safe countries of origin: the Greens are a security risk for the country in migration policy and, through unrealistic positions, make consistent government action and cross-party solutions more difficult.” The Union had also accused the federal government of endangering the entire reform of the GEAS by blocking it.
Greens critical
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) stated on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that the regulation could create “incentives for the forwarding of large numbers of unregistered refugees to Germany.” The press spokesman for the Foreign Office had declared at midday that the crisis regulation could not be approved in this form.
The FDP, on the other hand, is in favor of the project – and expects approval. Finance Minister and party leader Christian Lindner said during a government questioning in the Bundestag: “I am now confident that the federal government will agree to the asylum package at the European level.” This involves a fundamental paradigm shift, including the protection of Europe’s external borders, the simplification of asylum procedures and “the relocation of the submission of an asylum application outside the European Union”. The federal government is living up to its responsibility.
Lower standards for migrants
The EU regulation provides for special rules in the event of particularly high migration pressure. These include longer deadlines for registering asylum seekers at the external borders and the possibility of lowering standards for accommodation and care. Stricter rules can also be applied to people from countries with a high recognition rate.
Pro Asyl criticized a possible approval of the regulation. It “would be a gift for the right-wing hardliners in Europe. Because they obviously determine the political agenda in the EU,” explained the association. The fact that the Chancellor is now forcing approval shows that human rights considerations no longer count in the federal government.
Resistance to the regulation also comes from Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria – but for a different reason: They are calling for even tougher special rules in the event of a crisis.
Pressure, but no agreement in sight
The EU interior ministers will meet in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the controversial EU asylum reform. “This consists of several parts, ten legal texts to be precise, and one of these parts is the crisis regulation,” explains Jonas Wixforth from the ARD capital studio. If Germany were to block this part, the entire asylum reform would be at risk.
Ministers are under pressure because important parts of the reform are unplanned and on hold. Last week, the EU Parliament suspended negotiations on two proposed laws because the EU member states had not yet been able to agree on a common position for the so-called crisis regulation.
The pressure on the talks is particularly high because the EU wants to pass the asylum reform before the European elections in June 2024. The Commission’s timetable calls for the negotiations to be completed by February 2024. An agreement on the crisis regulation can take place purely formally, but also outside of the major meetings of the EU interior ministers in Brussels.