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It was his last chance: Interior Minister Seehofer wanted to resolve the conflict within the EU over a new asylum law this year. The dispute that lasted for years could not be resolved today.
Asylum policy reform has divided the EU states for years. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) wanted to overcome the blockade. However, even at the last meeting under the German presidency, the EU states were unable to make decisive progress on key elements of asylum reform.
Positions too far apart
The controversial issue of the distribution of migrants seeking protection in Europe, for example, remains unresolved. There are different views on how “in concrete terms solidarity should occur between European member states” when a country is overloaded, said Parliamentary Secretary of State for the Interior Ministry, Stephan Mayer (CSU), on the sidelines of a videoconference from the ministers of the interior of the EU.
Mayer represented Seehofer in the EU deliberations because the minister is under quarantine as a precautionary measure due to possible contact with the crown. The Secretary of State endeavored to draw a positive conclusion from the German Presidency of the Council of the EU. As for the immigration issue, they are much more advanced than six months ago.
No breakthrough, but little progress
They have “put the train on a track” and the “train is definitely going in the right direction.” The atmosphere of the conversation is much better than a few years ago. Mayer saw the fact that the Commission’s proposal would be accepted as a basis for discussion by all EU countries as progress. At the same time, a general awareness had been achieved “that fighting and preventing illegal immigration is not just a Greek problem, not just an Italian, but a European one.”
Mayer also referred to a new agreement, for example on the question of cooperation with third countries from which people come to Europe.
However, there has been little concrete progress on key points. Since July, Germany has held the regular presidency of the EU states for six months. That is why Seehofer has led the negotiations with his EU colleagues in recent months.
In November he was confident that “we will be able to reach a political agreement on the principles of European migration policy by the end of this year.”
The German Presidency has now recorded the results of the negotiations in a progress report that was presented during the deliberations. The document that is at the disposal of the German Press Agency clearly shows that no solution is in sight at the central points.
Unsolved distribution problem
“Some member states currently see the need for a flexible mechanism, while others see mandatory redistribution in particular as a key element of meaningful solidarity.” EU countries have not been able to find a common denominator on this issue for years. In essence, it is about whether and how to distribute migrants.
In the current system, southern countries in particular, where many refugees arrive, are overwhelmed. However, other states such as Hungary and Poland refuse to force themselves to accept migrants. To break the blockade, the EU Commission presented new reform proposals in September.
These provide for expedited asylum procedures directly at the external borders and faster deportations of rejected asylum seekers. But they apparently didn’t make the breakthrough.
New attempt in 2021 – and criticism
Interior Commissioner Johansson declined to commit to when the reform would occur after the meeting. This depends, among other things, on the corona pandemic, he said. But he expects “significant results” under the Portuguese Presidency, which will replace the German at the end of the year.
Erik Marquardt MEP criticized the German presidency for not getting closer to the common asylum system. The green politician said: “We are facing another winter with unheated tents and violence against those seeking protection. To end these unworthy conditions, we do not need a new pact, but the application of the law of the EU and governments. moving forward and not allowing the EU to freeze those seeking protection. “
