Greece has called on the European Union to allow member states to temporarily suspend asylum applications during periods of mass migration, arguing that existing rules are not equipped to deal with emergencies such as the recent surge in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta.
The proposal was put forward by Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris at a meeting of EU interior ministers in Luxembourg on Thursday. It appeared to receive backing from several member states, including the Netherlands.
Mr Plevris said the EU migration pact, which came into force in June, had strengthened the bloc’s ability to manage migration but did not provide sufficient powers for exceptional situations.
“In such cases, there should be enhanced border surveillance and suspension of asylum,” he told reporters before the meeting.
Dutch Migration Minister Bart van den Brink said large-scale arrivals such as those seen in Ceuta should be “treated as a border management issue rather than an asylum issue”.
Spain estimates that more than 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta in late July. Most have since returned, but about 10,000 remain, according to the material presented to ministers.
EU considers emergency response to large-scale arrivals
Several EU countries have argued that the migration pact still lacks adequate tools for sudden, large-scale movements, despite including mechanisms intended to deal with such emergencies.
The Greek proposal comes two weeks after European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the commission would develop an emergency framework allowing member states to respond to abrupt surges in arrivals.
EU migration commissioner Magnus Brunner said any emergency measures would remain subject to international law and fundamental rights.
“Europe needs the means to protect its borders at all times,” he said. “When movements are engineered and weaponised against us, this is not just a migration issue; it is a security issue … Of course we will always comply with fundamental rights and values.”
Irregular arrivals to the EU are down by 35 per cent this year, while returns increased by about 8 per cent in the first half of the year. The issue remains politically sensitive across Europe, where the arrival of more than one million people in 2015 helped fuel support for nationalist and far-right parties and encouraged tougher policies on border control, deterrence and returns.
Ministers also approved new rules allowing member states to establish return hubs outside the EU. Two European Parliament politicians said Rwanda had held preliminary discussions with some EU countries about hosting such a facility.
Officials from Greece, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Denmark met separately on Thursday as the Group of Five. Mr van den Brink said a technical mission had visited a potential host country in early September, with the group aiming to identify the location by the end of this year and begin transfers in 2027.
