Vienna has rejected a plan by Berlin to turn back asylum seekers arriving at the German border via Austria, in a move that could cause tensions between the two neighboring countries.
Austria claimed the new German policy would violate EU law, and instructed its police to refuse to accept asylum seekers turned away by German authorities.
Vienna’s move comes after Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), reached an agreement with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) on migration policy.
After Friedrich Merz, the likely new chancellor, led his CDU/CSU to victory in the German election on February 23, the grouping concluded preliminary coalition talks with the SPD last week, promising a tough stance on illegal migration. This echos Merz’s pre-election rhetoric and comes amid the rising influence of Germany’s far-right AfD party.
Under the policy, German authorities plan to conduct stricter border controls and turn away asylum seekers who lack proper documentation. However, this measure was supposed to be implemented “in coordination with” neighboring countries.
Austria’s interior ministry said in a statement sent to German news agency DPA it had “instructed the affected state police directorates not to accept refusals of entry by the German authorities that violate EU law and to report immediately on any observations.”
Vienna’s move comes after Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), reached an agreement with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) on migration policy.
After Friedrich Merz, the likely new chancellor, led his CDU/CSU to victory in the German election on February 23, the grouping concluded preliminary coalition talks with the SPD last week, promising a tough stance on illegal migration. This echos Merz’s pre-election rhetoric and comes amid the rising influence of Germany’s far-right AfD party.
Under the policy, German authorities plan to conduct stricter border controls and turn away asylum seekers who lack proper documentation. However, this measure was supposed to be implemented “in coordination with” neighboring countries.
Austria’s interior ministry said in a statement sent to German news agency DPA it had “instructed the affected state police directorates not to accept refusals of entry by the German authorities that violate EU law and to report immediately on any observations.”
Germany adamant
However, a senior CDU/CSU lawmaker said Germany would implement its plan even without the approval of neighboring countries.
Jens Spahn, deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, said Berlin would inform its European partners about the German policy and ideally coordinate with them, but would not make itself “dependent on the agreement of the other countries.”
Austria’s own coalition government, made up of the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP), the center-left Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the liberal Neos, is also planning stricter migration measures. One proposed policy would temporarily halt family reunification for people granted protection in Austria.
Additionally, Austria’s interior ministry has said that if asylum applications increase, it may invoke an EU emergency clause to stop accepting new applications altogether.
The dispute over asylum policy comes as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushes for tougher EU-wide migration controls.
On Sunday, von der Leyen announced plans to introduce an entry ban for migrants previously deported from the EU and to present a legislative proposal to speed up deportations of those staying illegally in the bloc.
Jens Spahn, deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, said Berlin would inform its European partners about the German policy and ideally coordinate with them, but would not make itself “dependent on the agreement of the other countries.”
Austria’s own coalition government, made up of the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP), the center-left Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the liberal Neos, is also planning stricter migration measures. One proposed policy would temporarily halt family reunification for people granted protection in Austria.
Additionally, Austria’s interior ministry has said that if asylum applications increase, it may invoke an EU emergency clause to stop accepting new applications altogether.
EU gets tough on migration
The dispute over asylum policy comes as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushes for tougher EU-wide migration controls.
On Sunday, von der Leyen announced plans to introduce an entry ban for migrants previously deported from the EU and to present a legislative proposal to speed up deportations of those staying illegally in the bloc.
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