Member States must prioritise relocations and real support in the EU Solidarity Mechanism
A new joint report by 17 civil society organisations, including Eurochild Greek member Network for the Rights of the Child, highlights the stark inequality in the number of asylum applications across EU countries and warns that the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum risks failing to achieve its objectives if countries do not take more equal responsibility.
In 2024, the EU+ received around a million asylum applications, with four countries, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France, receiving almost half (48%) of them. In 2023, Cyprus and Greece received more than 7,000 asylum applications per million inhabitants, while countries such as Denmark (387 applications), Romania (127 applications) and Slovakia (just 30 applications) record significantly lower numbers.
Increased pressure on first-host countries, such as Cyprus and Greece, has burdened their asylum systems, with consequences such as overcrowded reception centres, a legal vacuum for asylum seekers and an increased risk of human rights violations, including pushbacks.
It has also repeatedly been demonstrated that measures of border securitisation often fail to achieve the intended goals of reducing arrivals and lead to adverse outcomes, as people are forced to take more dangerous routes, rely more heavily on smuggling networks and lead to increased fatalities and human rights violations.
Recommendations:
- Prioritise relocations and bold, realistic solidarity pledges that adequately address needs
- Direct financial contributions towards strengthening internal asylum and reception systems, focusing on enhancing capacities within the EU
- Equitably allocate alternative solidarity measures across designated policy areas to balance resources necessary for the Member States’ specific context, such as asylum and reception, and prevent overemphasising border management and security
The EU can create a stronger, fairer asylum system by setting clear relocation goals, simplifying procedures, and investing in humane reception and asylum services. This will promote real solidarity between countries and with asylum seekers, helping the EU manage migration more sustainably.
