Detention centres in Greece, such as those on Samos island, where asylum seekers are held in conditions akin to prisons, complete with barbed-wire fences and police oversight, are a chilling testament to what may be an increasing trend under a new European Union policy on asylum. This is according to several human rights organisations, labelling these facilities as the pioneering stages of such measures.
Recently, the European Union Parliament passed a substantial reformation of the union’s asylum policy. This will bring about large-scale alterations to the ongoing system, notably in Ireland. Under the newly adopted pact, asylum applicants arriving irregularly in Europe risk custody at borders, with verdicts on their applications anticipated within a twelve-week period. If the asylum bid is turned down, swift deportation proceedings would then follow.
In anticipation of the policy alterations becoming active by 2026, the Irish Government is committed to participating in all components of the changes. The strategy to remodel the European Union’s asylum law has been under consideration since 2016, due to the rise in immigrants fleeing to Europe the preceding year.
The affirmed pact arose after numerous unsuccessful attempts and was endorsed by three major parliament groups: the centrist Renew faction, the European People’s Party from the centre-right, and the Socialists and Democrats of the centre-left. Concerns persisted until Wednesday’s decisive vote, as there were fears the proposal could be jeopardised at the final stage. Opposition was most notable from those on both far ends of the political spectrum, with the Left and the Greens considering the plan regressive and the far-right arguing it wasn’t sufficiently robust to restrain the number of asylum seekers coming to Europe.
During voting, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil MEPs endorsed the agreement, while Left Group MEPs and Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan objected to most parts of the proposals. Protests leading to temporary disruptions marked the voting process. Nevertheless, after several ballot rounds, the contentious renovation of Europe’s policy on asylum was eventually passed.
Concerns had been raised previously about the possible implications if the reform was not approved. In the event of no approval, responsibility for the reform’s reimplementation would rest with the subsequent parliament after the European elections planned for June. With recent surveys indicating a growing far-right presence, numerous centre and centre-left MEPs have thrown their support behind the pact due to worries that migration reform would become more challenging with the incoming parliament.
Poland and Hungary, at the level of national governance, have expressed opposition to certain constituents of the proposed reforms. These two eastern nations have strongly criticised measures for distributing obligations among member states to aid their southern counterparts commonly serving as the landing point for asylum seekers arriving via sea. Under these specific arrangements, EU nations have three options: accepting asylum seekers as per a relocation scheme, paying €20,000 for each individual they decline, or helping by supporting border operations.
Civil service personnel will soon begin the process of legislating for these reforms to be assimilated into law within the Republic over the course of the coming two years. It remains unclear whether this will result in the establishment of facilities akin to those found on Greek islands such as Samos for detaining individuals. According to one government official, it’s more likely that any new infrastructure would resemble the current reception centre for refugees and asylum seekers located at Dublin’s Citywest campus.
The political implications of facilities that combine security detention for asylum seekers undergoing expedited screening and assessments could potentially prove contentious. Currently, the processing time for applications from asylum seekers originating from countries recognized as “safe” averages roughly nine weeks. In contrast, applications from other nations can take more than a year, a Justice Department source stated.
Taoiseach Simon Harris, commenting on the pact earlier this week in Brussels, expressed confidence that it would lead to a more robust system for asylum in Ireland. “It will result in reduced processing times, quicker return processes and additional facilities,” Mr Harris remarked.
Eve Geddie, the head of Amnesty International’s EU branch, voiced fears that the new policy would escalate the number of individuals in European border “detention”. She also expressed significant worries about independent agreements the EU had entered into with North African countries, which involved providing funds in return for assistance in limiting migration.
Ms Geddie noted that by aligning on migration issues, Europe’s response to human rights conditions tends to significantly soften, as has been evidenced in both Egypt and Tunisia. Julien Buha Collette, who oversees migration initiatives for Médecins Sans Frontières, expressed concern that the latest policy would lead to individuals being ‘held captive, hindered, incarcerated and denied security all over Europe, both at sea and in countries not a part of the European Union’.