The SPD and the Union are in agreement: "transit procedure" instead of "transit centers"

This agreement came relatively quickly: the coalition agreed on a new asylum package. The planned "transit centers" will now become a "transit procedure". The SPD speaks of a success for itself – but also for the CSU

It is the temporary point of closure of a week in the Union: The leaders of the Great Coalition agreed on an asylum package at a meeting in Berlin in the evening. It mainly regulates the expedited treatment of refugees at the border, but also provides for the expeditious presentation of an immigration law.

The agreement was announced after about thirty minutes. In the two-page document that was subsequently published, the "transit centers" claimed by the CSU in particular do not appear anymore. Instead, there is now talk of a "transit procedure" for refugees who have already applied for asylum in another EU country. They should be examined within 48 hours, they say. Chancellor Angela Merkel had already planned a review period in the "transit centers" initially planned.

The procedure now agreed upon should take place near the border in the premises of the Federal Police or directly after the Munich Airport. According to the Federal Minister of the Interior, Horst Seehofer, this represents a maximum of five cases per day, according to Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz, no more than ten cases. Law changes are not required for this. Legally, refugees would not enter the Federal Republic of Germany.

Refugees should then be removed from the transit site to the host country. "There will be separate rooms in the housing for families and people who need special protection," the decision says. It remains unclear to what extent the refugees concerned will be able to take legal action against a refusal

. A compromise with many conditions

However, the now accepted approach presupposes readmission agreements with states such as Greece and Italy. Although the Athens government has agreed, an agreement with the new Italian government is currently uncertain.

Refugees from states with whom there is no readmission agreement should be expelled to Austria – still on the basis of an agreement

Rapid Clarification of responsibility

For refugees who are already registered in another State but have not requested asylum, there should be an accelerated procedure on the proposal of the SPD. The first step is to determine which country is responsible for the refugee under the EU rules. This test should be done in the so-called "anchor centers" and completed in a few days. The Ministry of the Interior must now determine how the process can be accelerated precisely.

Here too, the goal is a higher return rate. Currently, it is 15%. According to Dublin rules, the EU country is responsible for the asylum procedure, in which a refugee has entered for the first time on the EU soil. In order to increase them, there should be administrative agreements with different EU states.

The coalition wants to make more attractive concessions for other states in the EU. We will see how refugees can come to Germany as part of family reunion. This is particularly the case of Greece and Spain.

Part of the compromise also concerns the commitment of the Minister of the Interior Seehofer to submit to the Cabinet before the end of the year, the Fachkräfte-Immigration Act agreed in the agreement of coalition. In the early fall, he will present a paper on key issues

As the minister wishes

Seehofer was very happy after the meeting: "It's all from A to Z, as we would like to be a minister in charge. Asked about the controversial "transit centers", he said: "You know that our coalition partner has problems with the term" transit centers ". Therefore, we prefer to speak of "transit procedures in police facilities".

The general secretary of the CDU, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, presented the European approach to the asylum of the Union and the SPD. With that, the entire government coalition is gathering behind the goal of organizing, controlling and limiting migration, "she said, saying it is now clear that Germany will act "not unilaterally, unregulated and to the detriment of third parties".

Nahles rejoices

SPD leader Andrea Nahles was also convinced that the SPD had been able to win with much of its five-point plan: there will be no unilateral national and instead, an accelerated border procedure is established, which does not require any change in law, so there will be no camp, and a law on immigration will be presented to cabinet this year.

Scholz expressed hope It was important that there are European solutions in agreement with other states.

Critique of " nation "alen egoisms"

The refugee organization Pro Asyl expressed a strong criticism of the agreement. "The richest industrialized nation systematically insists on the responsibility of respecting the human rights of refugees in the poorer border countries, especially Greece, which economically depends on Germany," said General Manager Günter Burkhard. National selfishness "dominates and erodes the value base of Europe, respect for human rights."