Greece pitches suspension of the EU’s right to asylum during migration crises

A special regime would be activated in case of a rapid increase in arrivals and migrants flows used as a hybrid threat by third countries. Several EU governments seem open to the proposal, which could feature in the Commission’s new Emergency Response.

Greek Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris on Thursday proposed suspending the right to apply for asylum in the EU in cases of a mass influx of irregular migrants.

The controversial measure would mark a major shift in the bloc's migration policy, allowing migrants to be returned without an individual assessment of their asylum claims, potentially resulting in “collective pushbacks”, which are prohibited under current EU law.

Greece is pushing for the proposal to be included in the “European Emergency Response Framework”, a new law the European Commission is presenting in the coming months to tackle irregular arrivals and the instrumentalisation of migration at the EU’s external borders.

Athens has proposed a mechanism called the “Special Derogation Regime”, which would be triggered only in exceptional circumstances. The criteria would include a rapid increase in irregular arrivals, pressure on local infrastructure and evidence that migratory flows are being organised or facilitated by non-EU countries.

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