Commission says bloc must proceed with asylum applications despite outbreak

In a recommendation published on Thursday April 16, the European Commission warned that the registration and processing of asylum applications should continue and that member-states should comply with asylum law, despite the Covid-19 emergency.

“Even in a health emergency, we need to guarantee individual fundamental rights,” said the European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.

“Any measure taken in the area of asylum, resettlement and return should also take full account of the health protection measures introduced by the Member States to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” the Swedish Commissioner added.

The Coronavirus emergency has led to a severe disruption of return procedures, as even the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as member-states have temporarily frozen resettlement operations, in a bid to stem spread of the virus. Yet, according to the recommendation, preparatory activities should continue and voluntary returns should be prioritised. Asylum applications could be examined through personal interviews held by videoconference or can even be omitted, if needed, the document reads.

Concerning the national measures taken to tackle the spread of the virus, the Commission’s guidance stressed that quarantine and isolation measures must be “reasonable, proportionate and non-discriminatory.”

“Today we are acting to support Member States in providing guidance on how to use the flexibility in EU rules to ensure the continuity of procedures as much as possible while fully ensuring the protection of people’s health and rights,” said Margaritis Schinas, Commissioner for Promoting the European Way of Life.

“While our way of life may have changed drastically in the past weeks – our values and principles must not,” he added.

The Commission’s recommendation came amid Germany’s announcement that over the weekend, it would take in 50 minors seeking asylum, currently located in Greek islands’ hotspots. On April 15, the first relocation of of unaccompanied migrant children took place, as 12 minors were transferred from Greece to Luxembourg.

The relocation of unaccompanied minors is part of a scheme organised by the Commission and the Greek authorities, with the support of the UNHCR, IOM and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), aiming at relieving the overcrowded migrant camps in Greece.