Vienna plans to outsource asylum procedures in Africa – EURACTIV.de

The Austrian government wants to outsource asylum applications to African countries such as Rwanda. Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Monday that this would significantly reduce immigration world.

In June, EU countries approved the EU’s controversial new migration agreement, which tightens European immigration rules to limit migration into the EU, including by introducing expedited asylum procedures at EU borders.

But Austria goes one step further.

“Austria will continue to do everything it can in the European Union to create political and legal conditions so that asylum procedures can be implemented outside the European Union. We will not give up,” Nehammer told the newspaper on Monday. world.

“Similar agreements are possible with third countries, as the example of Rwanda shows – the African country has already concluded an agreement with Denmark,” Nehammer continued.

He added that such a move would significantly reduce migration because migrants would not even set foot on European soil and “they could no longer hide in the European Union or apply for asylum in several European countries at the same time.”

For example, Nehammer pointed to the controversial agreement the European Union concluded with Tunisia last July to limit migration flows. He said, “The agreement between Tunisia and the European Union to limit illegal immigration is considered pioneering.”

Legally, the agreement with Rwanda, as Nehammer imagines, will face difficulties, as the example of the United Kingdom shows.

London agreed with Rwanda to pay more than $152 million in development funds in addition to the costs of processing and integrating asylum seekers from the United Kingdom. Applicants for asylum in Britain will be sent to Rwanda, the application will be processed there and, if approved, the applicants will receive protection in the African country rather than the UK.

However, the British government’s plan has faced several hurdles, including a decision by one of the country’s highest courts to reject it as illegal. It is not known how Nehammer’s plan will comply with the country’s and European Union’s laws.

While member states have already agreed on their position, the final migration agreement between the EU and Tunisia still needs to be negotiated with the European Parliament. A majority of MEPs have already announced their intention to oppose some of the more restrictive positions taken by member states.