On October 10, 2024, in Luxembourg, EU interior ministers convened to address the escalating migration crisis as populist and far-right parties gain traction across Europe. Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized the urgency of implementing the new European migration and asylum pact, citing Germany's limits in accommodating asylum seekers.
Faeser warned that local communities in Germany are nearing their breaking point with the influx of migrants, as the country reported over 350,000 first-time asylum applications in 2023, the highest in the EU. The meeting highlighted a consensus among EU ministers to tighten entry rules, increase border controls, and facilitate deportations.
Despite the push for stricter measures, the new Dutch government seeks to withdraw from the asylum pact, echoing sentiments from Hungary and Poland. The pact aims for quicker processing at EU external borders and equitable distribution of asylum seekers among member states.
Faeser reiterated the need to enforce existing Dublin regulations, which currently place the burden of asylum processing on frontline states like Greece and Italy. However, many asylum seekers continue to migrate to Germany, France, and Austria, complicating the enforcement of these rules.
Amidst these discussions, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez proposed advancing the pact's implementation to summer 2025, underscoring the urgency of a unified EU response to the migration crisis. The upcoming EU summit will further explore these migration policies, as member states grapple with balancing humanitarian responsibilities and border security.