Dublin Regulation

The European Parliament has greenlit a new Migration and Asylum Plan, marking a significant shift in EU migration policy. The plan introduces mandatory quotas for the distribution of migrants among EU member states and establishes a novel approach to processing asylum applications.

European Parliament has greenlit a comprehensive overhaul of the EU's asylum and migration policies, marking a significant shift in how the bloc manages its borders and addresses the influx of migrants and asylum seekers. The approved reforms, part of the new Asylum and Migration Pact, promise to bring about substantial changes starting from 2026 if ratified.

Border Filter:

Austria has returned 76 migrants to Bulgaria by the end of February 2024, in adherence to the Dublin Agreement. The repatriated individuals comprise primarily Syrian and Afghan citizens, as reported by BTA. Meanwhile, Austria observes a decline in asylum applications, with the number steadily decreasing, according to APA.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov revealed that Austria's attempts to return migrants to Bulgaria, in accordance with the Dublin Agreement, have encountered substantial difficulties, with the majority of the migrants being untraceable.

"During the negotiations for the admission of Bulgaria into Schengen by air and sea, the Bulgarian government did not undertake any other obligation than to react quickly enough, as required by the Dublin Agreement, in terms of the speed of processing asylum applications".

Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov affirmed Bulgaria's position on refugee acceptance during a parliamentary committee hearing linked to the country's Schengen entry via air and sea.

Head of the State Agency for Refugees, Mariana Tosheva, disclosed that 590 refugees were repatriated to Bulgaria from various EU nations in 2023. She highlighted the challenge of managing return procedures under the Dublin Regulation, emphasizing the complexity of the migration flow.

The European agreement on migration and asylum is a positive step towards the collective management of an issue that produces injustice, danger and inequality for asylum seekers while provoking serious tensions between EU member-states.

EU countries and lawmakers reached an agreement yesterday on an overhaul of the bloc's laws on handling asylum-seekers and migrants, officials said.

The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, in collaboration with the European Parliament, has finalized a groundbreaking agreement on pivotal regulations that are set to redefine the European Union's framework for asylum and migration.