| Author (Person) | Dernbach, Andrea |
|---|---|
| Series Title | EurActiv |
| Series Details | 26.08.15 |
| Publication Date | 26/08/2015 |
| Content Type | News |
|
The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) issued internal instructions on the 21 August 2015 suspending the Dublin procedure in respect of Syrian nationals. According to the instructions Dublin procedures that had already been initiated in relation to Syrians were to be cancelled, in order for Germany to become the Member State responsible for processing their claims. This entailed that enforceable return orders for Dublin transfers to other countries were also to be revoked. Newly applying Syrian asylum seekers were to be immediately channelled into the regular asylum procedure and would not be given the Dublin questionnaires usually provided to applicants. The European Commission welcomed the move 'We welcome this act of European solidarity'. Other features (see related url hyperlinks below) look at ways Germany was dealing with the refugee crisis, and leading the European response. Heribert Prantl, Internal affairs editor of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung wrote for the BBC: 'Such goodwill doesn't solve the many problems faced by the state and society in integrating the refugees. But it helps to tackle those problems. And perhaps that goodwill is infectious'. In a statement made on the 5 September 2015 the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) welcomed the decision of Austria and Germany to receive thousands of refugees and migrants who had crossed the border on the 4 September 2015 from Hungary. UNHCR said this was political leadership based on humanitarian values. UNHCR also praised the civil society groups and individuals of Austria and Germany who were mobilising in large numbers to welcome and provide aid to people as they entered. All over Europe, UNHCR said it was witnessing a remarkable outpouring of public response, including from faith-based organisations, NGOs and individuals, in many cases driving governments to change policies and rhetoric. However, not all in Germany were welcoming. The Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavaria-based sister party of Chancellor Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), criticised the decision to temporarily open up Germany's borders to thousands of migrants, calling it a 'wrong decision by the federal government'. Germany's far-right groups also made their opposition clear in a number of protests. Far-right extremists tried to disrupt the arrival of nearly 1,000 refugees in the city of Dortmund on the 6 September 2015. |
|
| Source Link | http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/germany-suspends-dublin-agreement-syrian-refugees-317065 |
| Related Links |
|
| Subject Categories | Justice and Home Affairs |
| Countries / Regions | Europe, Germany |
