Ten countries are eligible
Union presents opinion on third country regulation
13.06.2024, 02:07
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
While many countries in the EU are already insisting on safe third countries in the asylum dispute, Germany is putting the brakes on. The Union is now submitting a legal opinion that is intended to prove that the model is legally sound.
In the dispute over the legality of a third-country solution for asylum seekers, the Union is now underpinning its position with a report commissioned by the Konstanz migration researcher Daniel Thym. This is reported by the Düsseldorf-based “Rheinische Post”, which has the 69-page paper in its possession. It states: “Safe third-country models are compatible with the Basic Law, the Geneva Refugee Convention and human rights.” These require effective protection, but “without specifying who will guarantee it and where.”
However, the third countries would then have to “provide appropriate living conditions in accordance with international standards, which may be lower than in the German welfare state”. In addition, “third countries willing to accept refugees must be supported in setting up a resilient asylum system”. Nevertheless, there is no “one” third country model, the report states.
Free: Traffic light must now be activated
The plan was included in the Union’s new policy program on the initiative of Union parliamentary manager Thorsten Frei. The CDU politician told the “Rheinische Post” that the federal government must now take action to implement it at European level. “If Germany gives up its resistance, it can happen quickly.” Apart from the EU member states, there are “ten countries that are already classified as safe countries of origin under German law. These include Ghana and Senegal,” said Frei.
Around 15 EU states, including Austria and the Netherlands, are already pushing for stricter asylum rules, primarily by making it easier to deport people to safe third countries. After right-wing populists gained ground in a number of countries in the European elections, this demand could be put on the agenda in Brussels. The latest EU asylum pact already provides for a significant tightening of procedures. Migrants with little chance of being accepted should therefore be deported directly from border camps.