Contents
The tougher approach at the EU’s external borders promises relief. Refugee aid sees human rights under threat.
Justice Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider is pleased about the EU pact and speaks of it as a significant political step. How this should be implemented must now be worked out with a view to the different legal bases in the individual EU countries and Switzerland.
The EU relies on deterrence and isolation and not on human rights.
Today, anger can be heard at the Swiss Refugee Aid, just like in the European organizations. “The EU relies on deterrence and isolation and not on human rights,” criticizes media spokeswoman Eliane Engeler.
Migration researcher Gianni d’Amato is convinced that fewer asylum seekers will actually come to Switzerland because of the new rules. The external borders would be strengthened and the procedures would be standardized and accelerated: “That should actually lead to less asylum migration towards Central and Northern Europe,” said d’Amato.
Legend:
The EU wants to tighten its asylum laws. It is not yet possible to estimate what consequences this will have for Switzerland and its tasks within the European network.
imago images
Switzerland will certainly benefit from the expected relief. However, Switzerland must ask itself how it wants to ensure that the procedures at the EU’s external borders are carried out legally, said the migration researcher.
Checks at the external borders are also an important signal against smuggler gangs.
Foreign politician and FDP Councilor of States Damian Müller reacted positively. The accelerated procedures at the EU external border are correct. He is convinced that the problem must be addressed at the borders: “The controls at the external borders are also an important signal to the smuggler gangs.” If there are already increased controls, Switzerland must also provide more support for legal escape routes, demands refugee aid.
The second key point of the EU pact is the solidarity mechanism. Justice Minister Baume-Schneider explains that Switzerland is not obliged to take part: “As far as financial participation in border controls is concerned, Switzerland can decide autonomously. Switzerland has always been involved in solidarity agreements. She trusts that the Federal Council and Parliament will make the right decisions.
It cannot be that we in the center of Europe do not take care of asylum seekers at the external borders.
For SP Councilor of States and foreign policy expert Franziska Roth, it is very clear that Switzerland must participate in the solidarity pact: “It cannot be that we in the center of Europe do not take care of asylum seekers at the external borders.” Switzerland must offer a hand. She expressly supports the idea of solidarity underlying this EU decision.
Exactly how the new pact will affect Switzerland can hardly be estimated at the moment, according to the State Secretariat for Migration, and numerous points are still open.