European unification means eliminating the individual right to asylum
Vienna (OTS) – „The tightening of European asylum law planned for the future in the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) is not a breakthrough, but rather a kowtow to the extreme right.
“We have learned absolutely nothing from Moria, the illegal pushbacks and boat disasters in the Mediterranean,” says Volkshilfe director Erich Fenninger, horrified. “European decision-makers are setting the course for the end of the individual right to asylum. More people seeking protection will die and be deprived of their right to protection from persecution
.“
Attack on the Geneva Refugee Convention
The already catastrophic conditions for people seeking protection are being cemented into place. With the Asylum procedures under prison-like conditions The attrition of those seeking protection at the EU’s external borders will become a permanent condition; there will be no fair procedures.
Die Expansion of the concept of “safe third countries” opens the door to deals with autocratic governments and exposes asylum seekers to more human rights violations. And under the controversial Crisis regulation can start with the imposition of states of emergency at the EU’s external borders lawless spaces with “pushbacks” be virtually legalized. This makes the individual examination of reasons for asylum, which is guaranteed to all people by the Geneva Refugee Convention, even more porous.
The warnings and recommendations from NGOs and aid organizations were ignored. “The agreement is a missed opportunity. A real reform would have replaced the failed Dublin system with a real, fair and solidarity-based distribution of people seeking protection among the European member states. An agreement on a joint European sea rescue mission would also have been a real breakthrough,” concluded Fenninger.
Questions & Contact:
Volkshilfe Austria
Erwin Berger, MAS
Head of Communications Volkshilfe Austria
+43 676 83 402 215
erwin.berger@volkshilfe.at