Greek Government Seeks Temporary Exemptions from Asylum Applications

Greece is pushing the European Union to grant member states temporary exemptions from accepting asylum applications during periods of high migration.

The proposal was presented at the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday by Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, who argued that current EU rules are unable to cope with emergencies like the recent influx into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta.

Minister Plevris claimed the new EU migration pact, which came into effect in June, has improved the bloc's ability to manage migration flows but has fallen short of addressing all challenges. He stated that during such crises, there should be enhanced border surveillance and a temporary suspension of asylum applications.

Several member states have shown support for Greece's proposal.

The influx of migrants into Europe has remained a contentious issue since 2015 when over a million people, many fleeing war in Syria, arrived on the continent.

While some have left Spain's Ceuta enclave, where more than 72,000 migrants entered in late July, around 10,000 remain, fuelling calls for tougher measures from certain European capitals.

A significant drop in irregular arrivals this year - down by 35 percent - has been accompanied by an increase in returns, which rose about 8 percent in the first half of the year according to available data.

Some member states are arguing that despite the migration pact's efforts to reduce arrivals, it still lacks sufficient tools to handle large-scale emergencies.

Plevris's proposal comes amid a push for more robust measures by the European Commission, with President Ursula von der Leyen announcing two weeks ago an emergency framework for responding to sudden and large-scale arrivals.

EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner emphasized that international law would be respected while implementing these new measures.

Greece has secured approval from EU ministers for a new return regulation that allows member states to establish return hubs outside the EU. These hubs would facilitate the deportation of asylum seekers back to their countries of origin.

The Group of Five, consisting of Greece, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Denmark, is leading this initiative. According to Van den Brink, a technical mission has already visited Rwanda in early September to assess its suitability as a host country for one of these facilities.