German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has announced an initiative with five European counterparts to strengthen the planned reforms to the European asylum system at the European level. Speaking to the magazine “Focus” the minister stated the German government intends to “sharpen and toughen” the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). A joint initiative will be launched with five nations in July, followed by a unified statement to the European Commission.
Germany is collaborating with France, Czech Republic, Austria, Poland and Denmark on this effort. A key demand from Dobrindt is the elimination of the “linkage element” currently embedded in asylum procedures. Under the existing framework, it is only presumed that a refugee has entered from a safe third country if a “connection” exists between the asylum seeker and that country.
Dobrindt emphasized the goal of abolishing this requirement while simultaneously expanding strategic partnerships with third countries. He believes that extending the third-country principle is crucial for strengthening the CEAS and disrupting the operations of criminal smuggling networks. The initiative aims to ensure a more robust and effective system for managing asylum claims within Europe.
