EU Parliament votes on asylum reform

There have been arguments for years, now the EU Parliament is set to finalize what is probably one of the most important EU reforms this afternoon: the right to asylum. The vote is likely to be close.

After more than eight years of dispute, the member states and the EU Parliament agreed in principle on the asylum and migration pact shortly before Christmas. But he hasn’t yet overcome his last hurdle. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser then appealed that “we obviously have to continue to advance migration because, thank God, we were able to reach an agreement with Parliament last year for a common asylum system. Now it’s also about bringing this to life and implementing it. “

In order for the asylum system and its ten legal acts to be brought to life, Parliament must make a final decision on the new rules this afternoon. The member states have up to two years to implement the new requirements.

Provide greater relief to Italy and Greece

The aim of the pact is to better manage migration to Europe. Anyone who has little chance of being granted the right to remain should be deported more quickly and directly from the EU’s external border. Behind this are mandatory border procedures, which should usually be completed after twelve weeks. A possible deportation should then be completed – also in up to twelve weeks. Unaccompanied minors are excluded from these procedures. Under pressure from the Greens, the federal government also wanted to exclude families with children from these procedures, but was unable to achieve this.

The migration pact is intended to help provide greater relief to first-receiving countries such as Italy and Greece. With a very high number of arrivals, countries have to rely on solidarity from other member states. In such a case, border procedures should be extended to a larger number of migrants.

Up to 30,000 people are also to be redistributed within the EU each year. Countries that do not want to accept refugees must help in other ways, for example by paying money. The principle should apply: the greater the need, the greater the solidarity contribution must be. The EU Commission is still working out the details.

In the future there should be more clarity about who the refugees are who are entering Europe. Fingerprints and biometric information from migrants are collected in a central EU database, and security checks are also planned.

Parts of the reform remain controversial

Even in the final stages of the legislative process, parts of the reform are still considered controversial. Accordingly, a close decision is expected in the vote: “I don’t expect an overwhelming majority, in the sense that 705 MPs will suddenly agree to this,” says CDU MEP Lena Düpont. “I think that is clear to everyone in the political discussion. I expect a mixed picture when it comes to individual legal acts, but I also expect that it will be passed with a majority.”

The vote will primarily depend on a majority of Christian and Social Democrats and Liberals. In addition to the left and right populists, the Greens are likely to vote against at least most parts of the reform. “The bottom line is that an asylum reform has been decided here, which significantly tightens asylum laws,” says Green European MP Erik Marquardt. “And that probably doesn’t help us achieve a fairer distribution or faster integration of those who receive protection in Europe, but rather the opposite.”

Main destination country Germany

Politicians from the Christian Democratic EPP warn that the asylum and migration pact will collapse in the vote. In this case, the issue is likely to play an even greater role in the European election campaign and thus particularly benefit right-wing populists.

The EU asylum agency expects that asylum applications will remain at a high level this year. Last year there were well over a million. The main target country is still Germany.