Reform of the Common European Asylum System
The EU institutions are about to decide on major new rules regarding the
reception and the treatment of asylum applicants as well as their allocation
among member states. The trigger for the intended reforms relate to the current
regulatory framework’s shortcomings that emerged during the refugee crisis: an
uneven sharing of responsibilities for asylum procedures and massive irregular
migration within the EU.
While in 2017 the number of asylum applications in the EU has nearly halved
(0.65m) compared to the peaks in 2015 and 2016, the reform remains politically
charged. Important elements could fuel political differences between the
Western, in particular the Mediterranean littoral states, and Central European
member states. Among citizens in the EU the immigration of people from
outside predominantly evokes a negative feeling. Thus, the refugee crisis is
seen as one driver of the ascent of populist parties.
Therefore, the EU asylum
policy’s external arm, i.e. The border management, assistance for countries of
origin and the opening of legal pathways, will become more important.
EU Forecast
euf:ba1.8i:75/nws-01