EU ministers explore new emergency migration measures
Athens proposes temporarily suspending asylum applications in emergency situations — and the idea has support from Berlin and Vienna.
EU ministers are discussing potential new measures to manage sudden mass arrivals of migrants at their external borders. The issue came to the forefront in July when over 70,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta, Spain, causing chaos as the EU was implementing migration reforms. Several nations suggest temporarily suspending asylum applications in crises of this scale under an emergency procedure.
Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner argues that the existing regulations are insufficient to handle such situations. The EU is considering a European emergency response framework and a ramped-up role for the border agency Frontex to prevent and address sudden mass arrivals. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the need for quick reactions to emergencies.
However, concerns have been raised about the impact on fundamental rights, particularly the tension between the right to asylum and potential large-scale pushbacks. Some countries, including Athens, Germany, Austria, and three others, have proposed suspending asylum applications in emergencies, but there are concerns about violating international law and fundamental rights.
The discussion highlights the need for EU-level emergency tools while considering the role of national measures.
Written by urgent.news from Politico EU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
