EU Proposes Major Shift in Asylum Policy: Externalizing Procedures to 'Safe' Third Countries
The European Commission has proposed a significant shift in EU asylum policy. The new plan aims to ease pressure on member states by allowing them to externalise asylum procedures to third countries deemed 'safe'. The Commission claims this will accelerate processes while maintaining legal safeguards.
The Commission's proposal marks a departure from the current 'safe third country' concept. It allows member states to send asylum seekers to these countries without requiring a personal connection between the individual and the third nation. This approach has been tried before, with limited success and potential for misuse.
The Commission acknowledges that this new approach is not merely a technical adjustment but a political concession to member states seeking to avoid responsibility. Critics argue that this transactional vision of solidarity risks undermining the Common European Asylum System, allowing states to shift burdens rather than share them.
The reform of the Common European Asylum System, finalized on May 14, 2024, by the European Commission, Council of the European Union, and European Parliament, includes provisions for externalizing asylum procedures to third countries. Germany's federal government is now implementing these reforms into national law. While the Commission believes this will ease pressure on member states and accelerate procedures, the proposal's potential impacts and risks remain a topic of debate.
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