The debates have lasted almost ten years, and the reform of the European asylum rules has now been sealed. Asylum law will be significantly tightened and migrants will be mandatorily redistributed.
After long debates, the new European asylum rules can come into force. The EU member states have sealed the reform of the Common European Asylum Law. This will tighten European asylum law. In addition, procedures should become more uniform and faster.
In the future, stricter rules will apply for asylum seekers from countries that are considered relatively safe. The package is intended to relieve the burden on countries such as Italy and Greece, where a large proportion of refugees arrive. For this purpose, a mandatory solidarity mechanism is planned, according to which the refugees will be redistributed across Europe.
No exception for families with children
In addition, there will be procedures at the EU’s external borders for the first time. Migrants with little chance of being accepted should be prevented from continuing their journey and deported directly from border camps. Families with children also have to go through these procedures. The federal government had campaigned for an exception in vain.
In the future, member states will also be able to send migrants to “safe third countries” such as Tunisia or Albania, where they can then apply for asylum. However, refugees must have a connection to the third country to which they are being deported – for example through relatives or studies.
Two years to implement
Several parties wanted to pass the reform before the European elections in June in the hope of being able to counter right-wing populists on the issue of asylum during the election campaign. Most migrant and human rights groups criticized the reform package, which has been discussed since refugee numbers rose in 2015.
In 2023, the EU received 1.1 million asylum applications. This is the highest level since 2016. Around 330,000 of the applications were submitted by asylum seekers in Germany. The new asylum rules come into force upon publication in the EU Official Journal. The member states then have two years to implement them. Until then, they have to clarify many practical questions, for example where the asylum centers will be built at the external borders or which countries will be classified as safe third countries.
Difference from Great Britain’s “Rwanda model”.
The highly controversial British “Rwanda model” is incompatible with the new EU rules. Great Britain wants to deport people who arrived illegally to Rwanda without discrimination from the summer. London has concluded an agreement with the East African country.
In Germany, the CDU is promoting an approach based on the British model. The new CDU policy program states that anyone who applies for asylum in Germany should in future be taken to a “safe third country”, go through an asylum procedure – and stay there even if the decision is positive.