Migration - Scholz: Dublin procedure to be improved
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has announced efforts of the German government to improve the process of withdrawing asylum seekers in the context of the so-called Dublin Procedure. "It must be that we achieve a changed practice there," Scholz said during a visit to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) in Nuremberg. He is in continuous talks with his colleagues in several European countries.
Previously, employees of the Federal Office had expressed their dissatisfaction with the previous practice. Some countries, including Italy, are currently accepting no or only a small number of refugees, to whom they are obligated according to the Dublin Agreement. According to the Dublin Regulation, only one EU member state is responsible for the examination and processing of asylum applications.
The number of asylum applications in Germany has decreased again this year, but still at a high level. From January to June, 121,000 applications for asylum were submitted – about 20 percent fewer than in the same period last year. Most came from the three main countries of origin, Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
A decision has already been made on over 150,000 applications this year. The quota for protection was 47 percent. Last year, a total of 351,000 initial applications were submitted. The workforce of the Federal Office currently consists of 8,000 female employees and male employees. It is designed for 230,000 applications. In the previous budget, a temporary increase of 1,000 persons was approved. The record number of applications stems from the civil war in Syria in 2016 with 745,000.
- Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor and SPD member, intends to modify the asylum withdrawal process in relation to the Dublin Procedure, as discussed during his visit to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) in Nuremberg.
- Bamf, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, has expressed concern about the previous practice, with some European countries like Italy not accepting or only accepting a few asylum seekers they are obligated to under the Dublin Agreement.
- Scholz is actively engaging in dialogues with his counterparts in various European countries to address these challenges and seek potential solutions.
- Bamf currently employs 8,000 female and male staff members, catering to a capacity of 230,000 applications, with temporary adjustments adding an additional 1,000 personnel.
- Germany's Federal Government, led by Scholz, aims to improve the asylum application process and achieve a more feasible practice in accordance with the Dublin Procedure, working in cooperation with European partners.
- The city of Nuremberg, Germany, serves as a location for critical discussions regarding migration, asylum, and redemption efforts at various governmental levels, including the Federal Government and Bamf.
