Germany proposes EU relaxes rules on deporting asylum seekers

Germany has recently suggested that the EU ease its regulations on deportation towards asylum seekers awaiting their cases to be heard.

The heightened drive for deportation comes only a short time after the German cabinet approved attaching electronic tags to migrants who are deemed to be a threat.

If the approval of the working paper is confirmed many countries could see an influx of migrants returning. The current law in place with the EU states that asylum seekers awaiting a ruling on their cases can only be deported back to countries who meet an established criterion.

Read: Germany aims to deport record number of rejected asylum seekers in 2017

While the EU upholds its right to send away all migrants of its choosing, the working paper lists the criteria to include: safety from threat and persecution; humane reception conditions; partial access to medical care, education and the labour market.

The non-refoulement principle would continue to be obeyed as it warrants the safeguard of those who are deported, entrusting that they will not be thrusted into areas where their lives are at risk.

The current state of affairs means that countries on the Mediterranean coast could see migrants being sent back. As the EU is pursuing talks with Libya, Tunisia and Egypt on the issue, the only agreement to date that the EU has is with Turkey.

Read: Turkey detains 43 illegal immigrants en route to Europe

The proposal notes that the agreement with Turkey should serve as an aid for future plans as it has sharply cut numbers of illegal migrants arriving into Europe, and attempted to prevent people trafficking.

Germany’s desire to advocate the proposal was ultimately due to the December Berlin Christmas market attack by Tunisian Anis Amri, who had driven into a market killing 12 people and injuring 50. Amri, later gunned down in Italy, had failed to be deported home as a terrorist threat due to Tunisian authorities failing to provide identity papers.

Germany are not alone in their strive to curb immigration. Italian interior minister Marco Minniti also pushed through long-awaited measures to moderate the number of asylum seekers which reached a total of 123,000 last year.

Read: Libya mayors say EU migrant crisis should not be dumped on them

Hungary is also forecasting the closure of camps where migrants who have had their asylum rejected plot their move into neighbouring Austria and beyond. Instead migrants are to be held in more restrictive environments which could be in contempt of European Union law and international conventions on refugees.

The proposal has been exceedingly criticised by rights organisations due to its evasive nature toward the human rights of migrants, along with the possibility of putting people’s lives at risk.

The proposal contains specific notice of the option to return asylum seekers to certain regions deemed to be “safe”, rather than a whole state. EU officials have already accredited the concept of “safe zones” as dangerous due to the volatile situation in various countries.

In a comment on the proposal, Ska Keller MEP advocated that “these plans are overturning the international law on refugees…this is an utter betrayal, inhumane”.