EU Interior Ministers Aim for Unity on Asylum Seeker Policies

Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has called for a European Union-wide agreement to send failed asylum seekers to safe countries near their original homelands. This move complements the agenda of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative government, which secured an election victory on promises to reduce perceived uncontrolled immigration levels. Despite the fact that immigration numbers have been decreasing for over a year, there remains a demand for more stringent policies.

In an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, Dobrindt emphasized that any approach involving third countries requires consensus across Europe. He highlighted the necessity of third countries willing to accept migrants unable to return to their home countries, insisting, "No individual EU member state can create this model on its own: it will have to happen on an EU level."

The European Commission has proposed a system allowing member states to reject asylum seekers who have transited through a 'safe' third country before arriving in the EU. However, these proposals have faced criticism from rights groups and await approval from national governments and the European Parliament. Additionally, plans for processing asylum seekers in neighboring countries have encountered legal and political challenges, reflecting the complexity of implementing regional asylum policies.

(With inputs from agencies.)