Greece pushes EU to suspend asylum during mass migration surges

What the report says

Greece has asked the European Union to let member states temporarily suspend asylum applications during periods of very large migration pressure, arguing that the bloc’s new rules still do not provide enough flexibility for emergency situations. The proposal was presented on Thursday in Luxembourg at a meeting of EU interior ministers, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.

Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said the EU’s migration pact, which began operating in June, had improved coordination but still fell short in cases of sudden mass arrivals. He said stronger border surveillance and a pause on asylum should be possible in such circumstances. Dutch Migration Minister Bart van den Brink supported the idea, framing mass arrivals as a border management issue rather than an asylum issue.

The discussion comes after a major surge in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta this summer, which Spain said saw more than 72,000 migrants enter in late July, although most later returned. About 10,000 people remained, the report said. EU officials and several member states have continued to press for tougher controls, amid wider political pressure across Europe over migration.

The article also noted that EU ministers approved a new return regulation allowing member states to set up return hubs outside the bloc. Separately, European Commission officials said any emergency response would still need to respect international law and fundamental rights.