Despite EU rules requiring Germany to accept only a few asylum seekers, mainly those arriving by air, the country has taken the most refugees for years, highlighting a systemic failure in enforcing readmission policies.
Special Centers for Migrants Fail to Align with EU Law
A special centers for migrants were intended to address a paradox: under EU law, Germany should accept only a small number of asylum seekers, primarily those arriving by air. The Dublin Regulation states that the first EU country a migrant enters is responsible for processing their asylum claim. However, in reality, Germany has taken the most refugees for years, as reported by the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung” (FAS) this Sunday.
Readmission Challenges Undermine Migration Policy
Leonie Feuerbach, the article’s author, explains that the paradox stems from readmission issues. Migrants who cross the German border receive housing, heating, electricity, and a 440-euro monthly allowance, regardless of whether their asylum applications are rejected in the future. Often, they face no obligation to leave the country.
Attack in Solingen Sparks Legal Reforms
A terrorist attack in Solingen last year, where a Syrian migrant killed three people, led to legal changes. The perpetrator should not have been in Germany, as Bulgaria was the designated country to process their asylum claim. New rules now restrict support for those slated for readmission to only two weeks, requiring them to be placed in specialized “Dublin centers” and deported as quickly as possible.
Dublin Centers Lack Effectiveness
Planned in all 16 German states, only two such centers have been established: one in Hamburg and another in Eisenhuettenstadt, Brandenburg, near the Polish border. The latter facility is reserved for migrants entering Germany from Poland, subject to readmission. However, residents receive minimal support—simply “a bed, bread, and soap.”
Most Migrants Avoid Deportation
Germany’s goal is to encourage voluntary departure without coordinating readmissions with neighboring countries. However, these nations insist on officially repatriating refugees. Feuerbach notes that the Eisenhuettenstadt center is failing, as 60% of those placed there hide. Of 72 migrants processed there, only five were sent to Poland, and four returned to Germany.
Criticisms Over Ineffective Systems
Brandenburg’s Minister of Health publicly questioned the utility of the center due to its limited ability to prevent migrants from evading deportation. Many courts have ruled the “bed, bread, and soap” system unconstitutional. Currently, only two German states—Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony—are planning to establish more Dublin centers.
Source: Gazeta, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/niemcy#anchorLink, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/granica#anchorLink, https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/euro#anchorLink, https://www.tokfm.pl/Tokfm/7, https://www.dw.com/pl/faz-readmisje-uchod%C5%BAc%C3%B3w-do-polski-nie-funkcjonuj%C4%85/a-73746072?maca=pol-volltexteplgazetanewsroom-12887-html-copypaste
