The European Union is advancing measures to accelerate deportations by enforcing stricter participation obligations and recognizing return decisions across member states. The plan includes the establishment of return centers outside the EU, although minors and families with children are exempt from these regulations. The proposal faces resistance, particularly against the "Albania model," and the full implementation of the EU asylum reform might be delayed until mid-2026.
Germany has witnessed a decline in asylum applications, with a 29% decrease in 2024, while hosting 1.2 million war refugees from Ukraine. Simultaneously, Germany deported 18,384 individuals, predominantly from Turkey, Georgia, and Syria.
The opening of a center for asylum seekers in Eisenhüttenstadt, intended to facilitate transitions to Poland, has sparked significant criticism. While German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser supports the initiative, opposition arises from human rights groups labeling it as a policy of isolation. The center's role is to process those deemed inadmissible in Germany and redirect them to Poland under the Dublin Regulation.
In Poland, the Senate has passed legislation allowing temporary restrictions on asylum rights, pending the President's approval. This move responds to alleged "hybrid" attacks where migrants are reportedly used as tools by neighboring countries. The EU Commission supports Poland's stance, which draws criticism from human rights organizations for potentially violating international law.
Experts caution against the proposed elimination of the investigative principle in asylum procedures, arguing it breaches legal norms by shifting the burden of proof onto asylum seekers. Criticism also targets the CDU's push for illegal rejections at German borders as potentially contravening European law. Overall, these developments highlight the tension between border control and humanitarian obligations within the EU.
