Europe tightens its asylum policy with reforms

The asylum and migration pact is intended to put the “European house” in order, as EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said last week. The pact aims to implement a common European asylum policy.

Under the new system, individuals who do not meet entry requirements will be identified and registered at the borders of the Schengen Area through a standardized screening procedure. This procedure determines whether migrants will be referred to an asylum process or returned to their country of origin.

Data collection as a key function

The screening procedure takes place within seven days. During this process, information such as fingerprints, biometric data, facial images, date of birth, and country of origin is stored in the Eurodac database.

Data collection has thus been expanded, as previously only fingerprints were recorded. Additionally, the minimum age of the individuals concerned has been lowered from 14 to six years.

With the additional data, the individuals recorded can be identified more easily. This will improve the implementation of the Dublin Regulation, which governs the responsibility of member states for asylum procedures. If Eurodac does not function, then the entire pact cannot function properly, said German MEP Lena Düpont on Wednesday in Brussels.

Switzerland also implements the Eurodac Regulation. Consequently, authorities here must also enter data on individuals residing illegally in Switzerland into the database. Furthermore, individuals who have already been registered can be more easily identified.

Mutual support in asylum procedures

Asylum procedures are conducted at the borders of the Schengen Area for a specific group of people. This applies, for example, to individuals who pose a security risk or for whom return is considered likely. The latter group includes, for instance, migrants from countries with a low recognition rate.

For minors and the remaining asylum seekers, such procedures would not take place at the borders. They would either undergo an asylum procedure in the country of arrival or, based on a solidarity mechanism, in another third country within the EU.

The solidarity mechanism aims to support countries facing high migration pressure. The European Commission has designated Italy, Spain, Greece, and Cyprus as falling into this category for this year. These four countries could refer up to 21,000 people in the asylum process to other EU member states.

However, the solidarity mechanism also provides for other instruments, such as financial support or other forms of assistance, such as the deployment of personnel. Switzerland intends to participate in the mechanism on a voluntary basis. To do so, however, it still needs a corresponding agreement with the EU. The Federal Council would then decide each year how Switzerland should participate.

“No member state is ready for everything”

The entry into force marks the end of a multi-year legislative process. However, “no member state is ready for everything,” as Birgit Sippel, an MEP from Germany, said on Wednesday in Brussels regarding implementation.

EU Commissioner Brunner also acknowledged last week in Luxembourg that it cannot be assumed that everything will run smoothly on the first day. According to the Austrian, however, the member states are “well on their way.” Switzerland is ready, said Federal Councilor Beat Jans, who is responsible for the matter, in a recent response to a question from the Keystone-SDA news agency.

Reduction of controls in the Schengen Area

The reform aims to improve border protection within the Schengen Area. It also aims to prevent secondary migration within the Schengen Area. Certain member states identify shortcomings in these two criteria and have therefore been conducting checks at internal borders for several years, such as Germany.

Switzerland and other neighboring countries object to this and have repeatedly called for the lifting of these controls within the Schengen Area. According to Brunner, the pact should be used as an opportunity to gradually phase out border controls within the Schengen Area.