Seehofer threatens to fail: No movement in the EU asylum reform

Seehofer threatens to fail
No movement with EU asylum reform

During Germany's EU Council Presidency, Interior Minister Seehofer wanted to reform the European asylum system. But successes are not in sight. Some countries consider a proposal from the Commission unsustainable. Hardly any country moves.

Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer threatens to fail in his goal of achieving a breakthrough in the EU asylum reform that has been blocked for years. At the end of the German Presidency, the EU states are still far from a common line, as emerges from a confidential report by the German EU Council Presidency. As before, the main problem is whether all countries share responsibility for arriving migrants. On Monday, the EU interior ministers are again due to consult – substantial progress is not expected.

Seehofer knew that asylum and migration policy is one of the most difficult issues at EU level. Nevertheless, he repeatedly emphasized that he wanted to make significant progress. Many others have failed because of this. The EU Commission therefore presented new proposals in September that should resolve the blockade. Seehofer wants to discuss this with his EU colleagues via video on Monday. The basis should be the progress report of the German Council Presidency. The paper of 10 December shows that there can be no talk of a "political agreement on the principles of European migration policy".

No movement. Nowhere.

Much more, no country seems to move from its position. Hungary and Poland have long since made it clear that the Commission's proposals are unsustainable for them. Mediterranean countries that are particularly badly affected, such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Malta, feel that the proposals are unbalanced. The conclusion of Malta's Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo: "Despite the efforts of the German EU Council Presidency to advance the debate on the EU Commission's new migration pact from September, we are no closer to an agreement than in previous years."

The paper of the German Council Presidency reads similarly. Opinions are divided, especially on the question of whether or not aid from other EU countries – by accepting returns or taking in migrants – should be compulsory in certain situations. "Some Member States currently see the need for a flexible mechanism, while others particularly see compulsory redistribution as a key element of meaningful solidarity." So the old dispute – even if, according to the paper, all countries are committed to helping one another in the event of migration pressure or crisis. The details – how this help could look like – remain open.

Diplomat: It's not up to Seehofer

According to the paper, Seehofer did not get very far on another central point either: the possible preliminary asylum review of migrants at the EU's external borders, with the option of sending some people back from there. On the other hand, there is agreement on the need to increase returns, on questions of legal migration or the external dimension such as cooperation with non-EU countries.

However, the Corona crisis did not make things easy for Seehofer. The EU Commission presented its proposals because of the pandemic much later than planned. In addition, the interior ministers were only able to advise by video due to the corona. Seehofer himself always emphasized how important physical meetings are with such a delicate subject. An EU diplomat in Brussels emphasizes that the lack of progress is not Seehofer's fault. "The problem is, nobody wants to move an inch."

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