New Asylum Rules Came into Effect in the EU on Friday 0 15

The EU has tightened its migration legislation. As of June 12, new asylum rules have come into effect in Germany and across the European Union. This is the most extensive reform aimed at reducing the number of asylum seekers. The head of the German Ministry of the Interior called it a "turning point in migration policy."

According to the new Common European Asylum System (CEAS), applicants will undergo preliminary checks at the external borders of the EU, and for nationals of countries where asylum is rarely granted, there will be an expedited procedure at border centers. This means that cases of citizens from countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Turkey, Venezuela, Nigeria, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo will now be directed for expedited processing directly at the border, while they will be held in effectively closed camps during this time.

After a denial of asylum, applicants must be deported to their countries of origin no later than 12 weeks. Additionally, Brussels intends to increase the number of countries recognized as safe, which will allow for a greater number of applications to be rejected.

Not all experts believe that the changes will be truly significant. Gerald Knaus, the founder of the European Stability Initiative (ESI), notes in a conversation with DW that checks on asylum seekers at the external borders of the EU existed before. The more problematic issue was the return of those who were denied asylum in Italy or Greece. According to him, after a denial, migrants are likely to try to move to another EU country and seek asylum there.

The head of the German Ministry of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt, on the other hand, suggests that the implementation of the CEAS will facilitate the return of asylum seekers from Germany to the countries of first entry. The minister reported corresponding assurances from the authorities of Italy, Greece, and other such countries. But how this will work in practice remains unclear.