Germany's Federal Court to decide on deportations of Syrian refugees to Greece amid new Greek asylum lawyer policy

The German Federal Administrative Court will revisit two cases involving Syrian nationals who were granted international protection in Greece but whose asylum applications in Germany were dismissed. The court will examine whether the refugees can be returned to Greece under the asylum law provision introduced on 1 January 2023 that allows higher courts to harmonise contradictory assessments of a destination country's conditions.

At the same time, Greece has issued a ministerial decree that removes NGOs from the asylum process and appoints state‑selected lawyers to guide applicants. These lawyers receive a €250 premium for each asylum seeker who files a voluntary return request within two months of counsel. The measure aims to promote “remigration” and replaces NGO‑provided legal assistance with state‑controlled guidance.