Faeser calls for fast-track procedures at the EU’s external border

Berlin When the former Interior Minister Horst Seehofer wanted to herald an “asylum turnaround” five years ago, he had to take harsh criticism. The CSU politician had brought up “transit centers” on Germany’s external borders, in which decisions would be made on the recognition of asylum applications and from which rejected applicants would be sent back. Now the federal government is pursuing a similar course with Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD).

In essence, it is a question of gearing migration policy more towards limiting the number of refugees than in the past. To this end, the common European asylum system is to be reformed accordingly. “We will ensure reliable identification, registration and screening of people at the EU’s external borders,” Faeser told Handelsblatt. The fact that the EU states had already agreed on the necessary “screening regulation” was “an important breakthrough”.

The regulation is intended to enable fast-track procedures at the EU’s external borders to determine who has a chance of protection and to deport the others more quickly. One of the controversial points is whether, and if so for how long, newcomers should be detained for this purpose. It is being discussed that refugees at the external borders may be detained for almost three months for the first part of the asylum check.

“Now we are negotiating procedures at the EU’s external borders in order to decide within a short period of time on the protection of people with little prospect of asylum in the EU,” said Faeser. “Then rejected asylum seekers can be returned quickly from the EU’s external borders.”

There is a simple reason why the federal government is now focusing more on effectively limiting irregular migration movements within the EU: Not only is the number of unauthorized entries to Germany increasing, many municipalities have long since reached their capacity limits in terms of accommodation, integration, daycare and school places. In view of the growing pressure to act, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has invited federal and state representatives to a top-level meeting in the Chancellery next Wednesday.

Faeser sees EU external borders “not adequately” protected

According to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf), 80,978 people applied for asylum in Germany for the first time in the first quarter of 2023. Among them were 5,817 applications for children under the age of one year. Refugees from the Ukraine do not have to apply for asylum in Germany or other EU countries, but are accepted via the so-called mass influx directive.

Ukrainian refugees in Hanover

Many municipalities complain about a lack of capacity when it comes to housing refugees.

(Photo: dpa)

The fact that she must noticeably reduce the number of asylum seekers in Germany has become an important concern for Faeser, after she had promoted open borders in Europe in the past. The minister, who is the SPD’s top candidate for the Hessian state elections in autumn, now considers increased border controls to be “necessary” because the protection of the EU’s external borders is “not yet working adequately”.

>> Read also: The federal government is spending 27 billion euros on the refugee crisis this year

With a view to irregular migration, the SPD politician recently ordered a further extension of stationary border controls at the German-Austrian land border. In addition, the veil manhunt was intensified at the border with the Czech Republic, i.e. covert, suspicion-free identity checks by the federal police. There is also an action plan with Switzerland that provides for joint controls on Swiss trains and at the border.

Faeser only held a refugee summit in February – primarily to talk about the situation in the communities. At the time, she made no financial commitments in view of the forthcoming meeting between the country heads and the chancellor. Nevertheless, the SPD politician admitted that the current refugee situation demands “a lot” from the municipalities.

The list of “safe countries of origin” is to be expanded

“The federal, state and local authorities are acting in close coordination,” assured the minister. “We shoulder this great humanitarian effort together.” According to Faeser’s idea, relief for the municipalities should succeed above all by the fact that migration is “much more” controlled and ordered.

The minister refers to the law that has already been passed to speed up the asylum procedure. This means that the number of decisions in asylum procedures has increased by 50 percent in 2022.

The SPD politician also wants to promote the repatriation of rejected asylum seekers. “We will conclude further migration agreements with countries of origin in order to enable regular migration – especially of qualified workers – and to limit irregular migration”.

The FDP politician Stephan Thomae also sees the agreement as an opportunity to expand the list of “safe countries of origin”. Such countries are generally considered to be free of political persecution and inhuman or degrading punishment or treatment. This should enable faster asylum decisions and deportations.

However, Thomae points out that the classification does not mean that these countries also accept rejected asylum seekers. For this reason, the return of rejected asylum seekers in return for visa facilitation or closer economic cooperation could be agreed within the framework of a migration agreement. Negotiations are currently under way with Georgia and Moldova.

More: “Calls for help are dismissed by the traffic light government” – Union increases pressure on the coalition with its own refugee summit

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