Sunday

1st Oct 2023

Bulgaria set to delay EU talks on refugee quotas

  • 'We agreed to first look at the text article by article,' said Valentin Radev, Bulgaria's interior minister (Photo: European Union)

The EU presidency under Bulgaria appears likely to wait until the very end of negotiations before broaching the controversial refugee quota issue in a key EU asylum reform bill.

The six-month presidency is mandated to find a political consensus by the end of June on the 'Dublin' regulation, which determines who is responsible for processing asylum claims.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

A consensus appears to be emerging following German demands to first sort out the easier points under the reform before tackling the most difficult one.

Valentin Radev, Bulgaria's interior minister, on Thursday (27 January) appeared willing to offload the issue until the very end following suggestions first floated by his German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere.

"My brief answer is yes. We have almost agreed to this," Radev told reporters when asked if he would take on board de Maiziere's proposal.

He said the two had agreed to first look at the bill "article by article".

The European Parliament has already reached its position on the bill and is waiting for member states to do the same before talks can start between the institutions.

De Maiziere, a close ally of German chancellor Angela Merkel, maintains that a quota system needs to remain part of the Dublin reform, but earlier noted that it will not be easy to find a solution and suggested to first tackle less tricky issues.

Germany has also been struggling to form a coalition government under Merkel's weakened chancellery over fears it could spark a new election.

On Friday, she is meeting to thrash out a coalition programme with Bavarian CSU party leader Horst Seehofer and SPD leader Martin Schulz.

Despite efforts by previous EU presidencies, member states have been unable to find agreement on imposing mandatory asylum-seeker quotas.

The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, known as the Visegrad four, are leading the opposition pack against any future plans to parcel out asylum seekers on a mandatory basis.

The divides came into sharp relief at a EU summit last December when the Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, described the proposed quota system as "highly divisive" and "ineffective".

A visibly angered Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU commissioner for migration, at the time called Tusk "anti-European" given his remarks on the proposal.

On Thursday, he appeared more measured in his comments, noting that no effort "should be spared in order for the European Council to reach an overall position on the reform of the asylum system during the Bulgarian presidency."

Austria, whose government is composed of far-right anti-immigrant ministers, will be next line to take the EU helm.

Greek figures showed that 1,061 people arrived on Greek islands from Turkey so far in January and that Turkey intercepted and turned back 1,283 other would-be asylum claimants.

The numbers compared to 7,000 a month at the height of the migration crisis in 2015 and were especially low - just 264 people - in the past two weeks due to bad weather.

Arrivals were up in Italy, where 2,749 people came from Libya, compared to 2,393 in January last year.

The 15 percent jump came amid increasing lawlessness in Libya, which had slashed figures by more than a third in 2017 compared to 2016 with the help of the Italian navy.

Showdown EU vote on asylum looking likely for next June

Divisions on relocating asylum seekers remain entrenched following an EU summit. The east-west divide opens up the possibility of relying on a majority vote for a key asylum in June, further exacerbating disputes among opposing capitals.

EU asylum debate reopens old wounds

EU leaders discussed asylum reforms in an effort to reach a consensus by next June, but divisions remain wide as concept of 'solidarity' becomes ever more elusive.

EU Ombudsman warns of 'new normal' of crisis decision-making

Emily O'Reilly cited the post-pandemic recovery funds, the windfall taxes on energy companies, and the joint purchase of vaccines, as procedures which received limited scrutiny from the national parliaments — as a result of emergency decision-making powers that bypassed parliament.

Latest News

  1. EU women promised new dawn under anti-violence pact
  2. Three steps EU can take to halt Azerbaijan's mafia-style bullying
  3. Punish Belarus too for aiding Putin's Ukraine war
  4. Added-value for Russia diamond ban, as G7 and EU prepare sanctions
  5. EU states to agree on asylum crisis bill, say EU officials
  6. Poland's culture of fear after three years of abortion 'ban'
  7. Time for a reset: EU regional funding needs overhauling
  8. Germany tightens police checks on Czech and Polish border

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  2. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  2. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  3. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  4. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us