If it turns out that it is insufficient, the European Commission will ask the member states whether they can contribute even more. If the proceeds from that tour are also insufficient, countries can be forced to accept asylum seekers or to give a higher financial contribution. That can only be stopped by a qualified majority of countries, so that a minority cannot block it.
Commissioners Johansson and Schinas want a positive approach. In previous proposals, the European Commission wanted to impose fines immediately, now voluntariness is paramount. But the jar goes into the water until it breaks. “If you are stingy in the first phase, you can eventually become obligated,” said an introduced person concerned.
Asylum seekers must be informed within five days of their arrival at the borders of the European Union whether they are eligible for asylum or have no chance. They are screened so that their identity can be established. It is also examined whether they pose a health risk.
Calculation
Then a calculation is applied to the people. If they come from a country where a relatively large number of people have already received asylum in the past, they can continue to a reception place in the EU. The European Commission sets the limit at 20 percent.
If they come from a country where few or no people have received asylum in the past (so less than twenty percent), they must stay outside the European Union, at the border. The asylum seekers have to await the procedure there. According to experts, temporary camps will arise there, which may become permanent.
The Netherlands in particular is quite critical of the 20 percent limit, because this idea was also discussed in the past and it was then said that only people from countries of which 75 percent had a chance of asylum were allowed to continue.
Asked for a response, CDA MEP Jeroen Lenaers says that this is much too low and that it must be much stricter.
Return
There will also be new agreements about the return of rejected asylum seekers. The European Commission wants to take advantage of the special relationships that some member states have with the countries of origin. For example, Spain has a good relationship with Morocco and rejected asylum seekers from that country who are staying in the Netherlands can be deported to Morocco via Spain.
Frontex must organize return flights where the plane is full of people who have exhausted all legal remedies in the EU. No longer will each country individually try to expel people, as is happening now.
Legal migration
It is striking that there will be no proposal on legal migration, as was particularly urged by some political parties in the European Parliament. However, a consultation round is being started, involving citizens and interest groups where everyone can have a say.
The European Commission’s proposal has yet to be discussed by the Member States and the European Parliament has yet to debate it.
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