Border controls

Union breaks off talks: German asylum summit fails

(Bild: stock.adobe.com, krone.at-Grafik)

On Tuesday, the CDU and CSU surprisingly broke off talks with the German government on a joint approach to asylum and migration policy. On Wednesday, the coalition government had announced temporary controls at all national borders and the rejection of asylum seekers.

The government's proposals for the rejection of asylum seekers at Germany's borders were not far-reaching enough, said Thorsten Frei, the CDU/CSU's chief negotiator, on Tuesday.

Germany's SPD Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had proposed, among other things, the temporary detention of certain refugees.

Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) already ordered controls at all German borders on Monday and held out the prospect of more refoulements.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Michal Cizek)

Detention capacities to be examined
According to government sources on Tuesday, this procedure is to be applied to refugees who seek asylum in Germany but whose asylum procedure is the responsibility of another EU member state. The German federal police are to check detention capacities and apply to the court for accommodation.

Going underground should be prevented
According to a policy paper, this measure should prevent absconding and be able to be imposed if there is a risk of absconding. The paper states that sufficient detention facilities must be available quickly near the border and along the migration routes. Detention would then be provided until the refugee concerned is deported to the member state in which they first entered the EU in accordance with the Dublin rules.

Union made refoulement at the border a condition for talks
Representatives of the German federal government, the federal states and the CDU/CSU met on Tuesday afternoon for the second round of their migration talks. The CDU/CSU had previously made rejections at the border a condition for their participation. Faeser had already ordered controls at all German borders on Monday and held out the prospect of more rejections.

(Bild: AFP)

Poland sharply criticizes plans
Meanwhile, Poland sharply criticized the plans for temporary controls at all German land borders. "This approach is unacceptable," said Prime Minister Donald Tusk. It would effectively suspend the Schengen Agreement.

Tusk's comments also went against the demands of the CDU, which, like Tusk's party, belongs to the conservative European People's Party (EPP) at European level. CDU leader Friedrich Merz had only announced on Monday that he would seek talks with Tusk and other European EPP heads of government in order to convince them of the need for tighter security at Germany's borders, including the refoulement of refugees.

Austria also rejects the idea
However, Austria - whose Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) is also a member of the EPP - had already rejected the CDU's demands. "Austria will not accept people who are sent back from Germany," said ÖVP Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. "There is no room for maneuver." He had instructed the head of the Austrian Federal Police "not to carry out any takeovers".

Austria will not accept any people who are turned back from Germany.

Österreichs Innenminister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP)

Checks at German-Austrian borders since September 2015
Stationary controls have been in place at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland since October 2023. These have been repeatedly extended and currently run until 15 December. At the German-Austrian land border, such controls, which are justified on the grounds of irregular migration, have been in place since September 2015. The newly ordered controls directly at the border concern the land borders with France, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.