Germany will not be required to take in refugees from other EU countries for the time being after the so-called solidarity mechanism comes into force next year. A deal reached on Monday in Brussels by EU interior ministers means for Germany “that we do not have to provide any financial contributions and, on the other hand, do not have to register any arrivals,” Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) said after the meeting. The interior ministers of the 27 member states agreed, following months of negotiations, on a significant tightening of the EU’s common asylum policy.
A key element of the agreement is the solidarity mechanism. It allows EU states facing high “migration pressure,” such as Italy or Greece, to relocate refugees to other member states. Under the rule, Germany would normally have to either accept refugees or pay 20,000 euros for each person it declines to take.
However, the regulation includes several compensatory measures. Countries may, for example, officially assume responsibility for individuals already on their territory, even if under current EU law another state would technically be responsible for them. According to Dobrindt, Germany will be able to count several thousand people toward this mechanism, allowing it to meet its obligations at least through 2026. The EU acknowledges that Germany has shown “a great deal of solidarity in the past,” he said. This will now be taken into account.
In addition, a ministry spokesperson said that Italy and Greece have agreed to resume accepting refugees from Germany who were first registered in one of the two Mediterranean countries before traveling on to Germany. These so-called Dublin returns have not been consistently enforced in recent years. This agreement, like the solidarity pool, is scheduled to take effect in June 2026.
Last year, the EU adopted a reform of the Common European Asylum System, which member states are required to implement by June 2026. In April, the European Commission announced plans to accelerate parts of the reform to allow faster asylum procedures. Many European governments are under pressure as public opinion on migration has worsened, contributing to gains by right-wing and far-right parties in elections.
The agreements reached by the interior ministers are based on a European Commission proposal and include provisions that would allow the establishment of so-called return centers outside the EU, where people whose asylum applications have been rejected could be sent. One example is a Dutch initiative for a center in Uganda, in which Germany could also participate. Critics, however, question whether such centers comply with European law.
“Instead of investing in safety, protection, and integration, the EU is choosing policies that will put more people in danger and in legal grey zones,” said Silvia Cartao of the migrant-rights organization Picum.
Several member states also voiced concerns about the planned measures. Spain, for instance, expressed doubts about the concept of return centers, noting that similar arrangements had failed elsewhere. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska also questioned whether the deportation rules are compatible with international and humanitarian law.
The interior ministers also agreed on tougher penalties for people without legal residency who refuse to leave the EU. Additionally, it will become easier to recognize and enforce asylum decisions made by other EU countries, although this will initially be voluntary. The outcomes must still be approved by the European Parliament. Conservative and right-wing parties have already signaled support.
Despite the agreement, Germany will continue its border controls within the Schengen area for now, according to Dobrindt. These controls remain necessary until stronger protection of the external borders produces results. Germany has maintained varying levels of border checks within the otherwise control-free Schengen zone since 2015.
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