Is a stricter asylum policy legally feasible?
In de media image: European Union 2015 - Source EP via Wikimedia Commons
Geert Wilders wants a stricter asylum policy, but is this realistic? Maartje van der Woude, Professor of Law and Society, and Mark Klaassen, assistant professor, spoke to NRC newspaper about the legal feasibility of Wilders' plans.
Geert Wilders has recently demanded a tougher asylum policy. The leader of the PVV (Party for Freedom) wants to introduce ten measures to reduce migration to the Netherlands. These measures are no surprise: some of them were already reflected in the PVV's election manifesto and the ensuing coalition agreement. Nevertheless, the proposal to tighten asylum measures raises questions. Is a stricter asylum policy actually legally feasible?
Member States may temporarily override EU regulations if this is necessary to maintain public order or national security. In specific cases, this may also relate to asylum rules. According to Van der Woude, the Netherlands can in principle refuse asylum seekers at the border in this way. 'I am curious how Wilders wants to prove that there is an acute threat to the Netherlands,' says the professor. 'Besides, even if the Netherlands could legitimately turn asylum seekers away at the border, the question is whether that's feasible in practice.' According to Mark Klaassen, the chance that the Netherlands can legitimately implement a stop is very small: 'You can't just say: it's too full here, so you can no longer enter the country.'
More information?
Read the full NRC article (€, in Dutch)