Cem Özdemir, the Green Party lead candidate in Baden Württemberg, says that outsourcing asylum procedures to “safe third countries” would bring more humanity to the system. He told the online portal T‑Online that, “if there is a third country where rule‑of‑law procedures are observed – under the guidance of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR – it is an option that promises more humanity”.
According to Özdemir, the current asylum framework favors the rights of the stronger and disadvantages women and children in particular. These groups, he argues, are especially in need of protection.
The European Union created, at the end of last year, a legal basis that would make it easier to transfer people to such safe third countries outside the EU. The new rule would allow asylum procedures to be moved to countries with which applicants have no connection, but the proposal still requires approval from the EU Parliament.
In addition, the regulation would facilitate setting up “Return Hubs” for rejected asylum seekers in third countries outside the EU – a measure that Özdemir rejects.
