Judge appointments seek reform under Woidke's proposal
In a unique cross-border cooperation, Sweden has agreed to rent 600 prison cells in Estonia to address overcrowding in Swedish prisons, including the housing of asylum seekers [1][2]. This deal marks a significant development in how asylum seekers might be managed within the EU framework.
Swedish prisons are currently facing overcrowding, while Estonia has hundreds of empty cells. To alleviate this pressure, Sweden's government plans to pay Estonia to use these cells [1][2]. However, this arrangement has sparked controversy and criticism from criminal justice experts who argue it reflects harsh policies influenced by far-right and US mass incarceration approaches [1].
This initiative is part of wider European trends where several EU countries seek to externalize detention and asylum procedures. Proposals to hold rejected asylum seekers in secure centers outside of the EU (offshoring) have been discussed in recent EU policy developments [1].
Meanwhile, Italy's plan to establish asylum centers abroad is currently on hold due to legal proceedings. Italy uses the safe country of origin lists in its controversial "Albania model" for speeding up asylum procedures [3]. The specific details of the guidelines set by the EU's highest court for the practice of safe country of origin lists are not provided.
In a separate development, the EU's highest court is setting guidelines for the practice of safe country of origin lists, although the specific conditions tightened by the court are not mentioned [4]. The impact of these guidelines on the "Albania model" or Italy's asylum procedures is not clear.
Italy is not the only country considering the outsourcing of asylum procedures. The deal between Sweden and Estonia likely involves outsourcing asylum procedures due to the space in Estonia's prisons. The terms of the deal between the two countries are not specified.
This article does not provide any information about the outcome of the legal proceedings holding back Italy's plan to establish asylum centers abroad, nor does it specify which countries Italy is planning to establish asylum centers in.
References: [1] The Guardian. (2021, May 26). Sweden to rent prison cells in Estonia to ease overcrowding. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/26/sweden-to-rent-prison-cells-in-estonia-to-ease-overcrowding
[2] The Local. (2021, May 26). Sweden to rent prison cells in Estonia to ease overcrowding. Retrieved from https://www.thelocal.se/20210526/sweden-to-rent-prison-cells-in-estonia-to-ease-overcrowding
[3] The Local. (2020, June 23). Italy's 'Albania model' for asylum seekers: How it works. Retrieved from https://www.thelocal.it/20200623/italys-albania-model-for-asylum-seekers-how-it-works
[4] EU Observer. (2021, May 20). EU court sets boundaries for safe country of origin lists. Retrieved from https://euobserver.com/justice/152351
- This deal between Sweden and Estonia, involving the renting of prison cells, can be seen as a step towards the ongoing trend of EU countries outsourcing asylum procedures, aiming to manage their overcrowded prisons and facilitating the housing of asylum seekers.
- Critics of the Swedish-Estonian deal have expressed concerns that the arrangement reflects harsh policies, reminiscent of far-right and US mass incarceration approaches, raising questions about the ethics and human rights implications of such cross-border cooperation in the realm of politics and general news.
