Günter Krings, the Vice Spokesperson for the CDU parliamentary group, has backed the initiative put forth by the European People’s Party (EVP) to tighten European asylum law once again. The EU asylum reform, known as GEAS, which had been debated for a long time, only came into force in June.
Krings told Die Welt that “Europe is allowing a refugee protection that extends far beyond international law, the Geneva Refugee Convention, and our Basic Law.” He argued that it is essential common sense to return the asylum system to international standards as quickly as possible.
According to Krings, the EVP’s proposal-to abolish subsidiary protection and allow for refoulement at safe third countries-is entirely correct. He stated that subsidiary protection was introduced during periods of much simpler migration policies, when significantly fewer asylum applicants came to Europe. This special status is no longer suitable for the current situation. He noted that nearly 400,000 individuals granted subsidiary protection lived in Germany alone, bringing with them all the known consequences for social benefits, naturalization, and state-funded family reunification. He concluded that the EU is free to eliminate subsidiary protection completely.
Separately, CDU domestic policy expert Detlef Seif commented that “the new GEAS includes important measures that I wouldn’t have thought possible a year and a half ago.” However, he added a caveat, saying that there is still no mechanism in place to ensure that overwhelming situations do not arise if many people enter the EU and apply for asylum.
