The Council of Regions urges the Commission to participate in the drafting of the upcoming report.
## EU Advances Proposed Changes to Asylum Seeker Handling at External Borders
The European Union is progressing with significant reforms to its asylum procedures, particularly at external borders, aiming to expedite assessments, revise safe country lists, and alter fair distribution mechanisms.
### Accelerated Processing and Safe Country Lists
The European Commission has proposed the creation of a harmonized EU list of safe countries of origin, which would apply across all member states. Asylum claims from these countries would be subject to accelerated processing, based on the presumption that they are likely to be unfounded.
However, critics argue that this approach could potentially undermine access to fair asylum procedures, as even countries on the "safe" list may still produce genuine refugees. The criteria for designating a country as "safe" are seen as opaque and potentially politicized.
### Revision of the Safe Third Country Concept
A major proposed change allows member states to remove the requirement that an asylum seeker must have a personal connection to a safe third country before they can be transferred there. This shift could enable the EU to outsource asylum responsibilities to countries with which the individual has no prior link.
The proposal also eliminates the suspensive effect of appeals against decisions based on the safe third country concept, meaning that individuals could be removed before their appeals are heard.
### Trends in Asylum Applications
Recent statistics show a decrease in first-time asylum applications and temporary protection grants in the EU. Despite overall declines, certain countries continue to receive higher numbers of asylum seekers relative to their population.
### Key Concerns and Criticisms
There are concerns that the accelerated procedures and expanded safe country concepts may compromise the right to a fair and individualized assessment, as required by international refugee law. The selective "frontloading" of restrictive measures risks fragmentation and unequal treatment of asylum seekers across the EU.
The push to transfer asylum responsibilities to third countries, especially without a personal connection, has been criticized as a departure from traditional EU asylum principles.
Germany's Europe Minister, Michael Roth (SPD), has called for a new approach to handling asylum seekers at the EU's external borders, insisting on a fair European distribution mechanism for refugees before Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union speech on Wednesday. Roth has demanded that states who genuinely believe they cannot take in any refugees must help with money, technical expertise, or personnel.
Roth has also suggested that states should significantly increase their contributions to development cooperation and humanitarian aid. He has reiterated his suggestion for a new approach to handling asylum seekers at the EU's external borders.
As the EU moves forward with these reforms, it remains crucial to ensure that legal and humanitarian safeguards are upheld, and that asylum seekers are treated fairly and equitably across member states.
Other critics question the potential impact of the proposed policy-and-legislation changes on general-news access to fair asylum procedures in the European Union, expressing concerns that the accelerated procedures and expanded safe country concepts may compromise the right to a fair and individualized assessment, as required by international refugee law. The trends in asylum applications within the EU highlight the need for a revised and equitable distribution mechanism for refugees among member states.
