Editorial | The EU countries are finally reaching an agreement on the asylum reform

Editorial|Editorial

VThe EU’s common immigration and asylum policy, which has been put together for several years, is taking decisive steps towards a compromise. Attempts at reform have been torn by contradictions.

In the summer, an agreement was already reached on everything else except the crisis regulation. The crisis regulation is intended for situations where an external country uses immigration for hybrid influence. An example is Belarus, which pushes people from third countries across the border to Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. The crisis regulation determines how member countries are obliged to help each other in a crisis situation like this.

The crisis decree rubbed the German ruling party, the Greens. On Wednesday, the German chancellor Olaf Scholz snarled and put the greens to the ground with a powerful order.

Germany’s Greens have been of the opinion that the proposal on the crisis regulation restricts the basic rights of asylum seekers too much. Hungary and Poland oppose the regulation because they do not want to help other countries. However, Germany’s position is decisive in a qualified majority decision.

The mutual solidarity of EU countries regarding asylum seekers and especially the relocation of asylum seekers is a tough spot for basic Finns in Finland. However, Petteri Orpo’s (kok) government supports the commission’s proposals, as the demand for solidarity is conditional. There is no obligation to accept asylum seekers from other countries as internal transfers, even in a crisis. Solidarity can also be shown with money.

It is significant that the immigration and asylum reform is starting to be ready. The overall emphasis is on enhancing the return of asylum seekers and removing them from the country. Attempts are being made to move the asylum process to the EU’s external borders with the initial screening and border procedures that take place there.

Europe is becoming fortified, and within the fortress the member countries have an obligation to help each other in certain crisis situations. The reform does not address the root causes of the enormous immigration pressure.

The editorials are HS’s positions on a current topic. The articles are prepared by HS’s editorial department, and they reflect the journal principle line.