Greece pitches suspension of the EU’s right to asylum during migration crises
A special regime would be activated in case of a rapid increase in arrivals and migrants flows used as a hybrid threat by third countries. Several EU governments seem open to the proposal, which could feature in the Commission’s new Emergency Response.
During a recent Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris suggested suspending the EU's right to asylum in cases of mass irregular migrant influx. This proposal would represent a major change in the bloc's migration policy, allowing for mass returns without individual asylum assessments, potentially leading to "collective pushbacks".
The Greek government is seeking to include this proposal in the "European Emergency Response Framework", a new law being presented by the European Commission. Athens proposes a "Special Derogation Regime" that would be activated only under specific conditions, such as a sudden surge in irregular arrivals, strain on local infrastructure, and evidence of organized or facilitated migration by non-EU countries.
If activated, the mechanism would permit temporary suspension of asylum applications, expedited return procedures, and immediate EU assistance. Several European nations, including Poland, Germany, Austria, and Denmark, have expressed support for this measure. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that the influx must not be considered humanitarian if caused by smuggling and disinformation.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner added that an influx of 70,000 people in a day does not qualify as an asylum claim. Belgian Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt called for "no taboos" when discussing effective return of irregular migrants. However, this proposal has faced criticism from left-wing politicians, migration experts, and civil society groups, who argue that suspending a fundamental right would be unprecedented and could weaken existing safeguards.
Temporary suspensions of asylum processing have occurred in the past, such as Greece's one-month suspension in March 2020 and three-month suspension in July 2025. The Return Regulation, aimed at expediting the return of non-EU migrants, was also approved by EU ministers at the same meeting.
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