EU enacts tougher asylum rules and fast‑track deportations

From Friday midnight the European Union introduced substantially stricter asylum rules aimed at accelerating asylum procedures and enabling quicker deportations. The reforms seek to curb secondary migration within the bloc by assigning responsibility for an asylum claim to the EU country where the applicant was first registered, preventing transfers such as from Greece or Italy to Germany.

The new Common European Asylum System (CEAS) incorporates a solidarity mechanism that offers financial contributions, material aid, or the takeover of asylum seekers for member states facing unusually high inflows. Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner said the CEAS “strengthens trust among member states and gives Europe greater control.” The rules also introduce fast‑track border proceedings lasting up to 12 weeks for applicants with low chances of success, who will remain in specially designated collection centres.

Germany and France, which have previously shouldered large numbers of migrants, are among the countries expected to benefit from the solidarity funding, while Italy and Greece continue to face pressures at external borders.