Migration - Scholz wants more speed in asylum procedures
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is pushing for more speed in the decision-making process for asylum applications. During a visit to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf), he also promised political efforts to improve the withdrawal of asylum seekers in the context of the so-called Dublin Procedure at the European level. "It must be so that we achieve a changed practice there," Scholz said 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, currently accept no or only a small number of refugees, to whom they are obligated according to the Dublin Accord. According to the Dublin Regulation, only one EU country is responsible for the examination and processing of asylum procedures - in most cases, the country on whose territory the asylum seeker first entered European soil.
Overall, Scholz called for more speed in processing asylum applications. This is crucial, he said, for public acceptance. "We must ensure that we are state-of-the-art," the Chancellor said, looking at digitalization. It is important to ensure that digital speed remains high, and artificial intelligence plays a role. A crucial question is the equipment of the Federal Office with sufficient personnel. Both in the previous federal budget as well as in the new budget, this has been taken into account.
Scholz: The tempo of Rhineland-Palatinate should be the goal in court proceedings
It is also important that asylum applications are still submitted at the state level in the first reception facilities - before distribution to the municipalities. "That works uniformly is absolutely crucial," Scholz said. This could lead to a "dramatic acceleration" of the procedure. He also spoke in favor of more speed in administrative court proceedings. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the first instance in such proceedings is closed in less than six months. The nationwide average is 20 months. "The goal must be that the entire Germany has the speed in administrative court proceedings that Rhinland-Palatinate currently practices."
The number of asylum applications in Germany is declining this year, but at a high level. From January to June, 121,000 applications were filed - about 20 percent fewer than in the same period last year. Most came from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
A decision was already made on more than 150,000 applications this year. The quota for protection was 47 percent. In the previous year, a total of 351,000 initial applications were filed. The workforce of the Federal Office currently consists of 8,000 female 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 comes from the year 2016 due to the civil war in Syria with 745,000.
- Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor from Germany's SPD party, emphasized the need for faster asylum decision-making in Rhineland-Palatinate.
- Scholz expressed his intentions to boost efforts at the Federal Government level to optimize the withdrawal of asylum seekers in the Dublin Procedure within Europe.
- During his visit to the Bamf in Nuremberg, Scholz advocated for a shift in practice regarding asylum seekers in the Dublin Procedure, involving discussions with other European countries such as Italy.
- In response to employees' concerns about the previous practice, Scholz proposed accelerating the asylum application process, stating that it's crucial for public acceptance and progress towards digitalization.
- The Chancellor highlighted the importance of digitalization and AI in ensuring high digital speed during the asylum application process, while also emphasizing the need for sufficient Bamf personnel.
- Currently, Italy and some other countries only accept a small number of refugees they are obligated to under the Dublin Accord, leading to delays in the asylum procedure.
- Rhineland-Palatinate's speed in administrative court proceedings has served as a model for Scholz, with the goal set for the entire Germany to match this efficiency.
- Despite a decrease in the number of asylum applications this year in Germany, the quota for protection remains high, with most applicants coming from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
