With just days to go before the European Union's landmark asylum reform officially enters into force, Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) is pressing for the gradual dismantling of domestic border controls. Sebastian Fiedler, the SPD's spokesperson on domestic policy in the Bundestag, made the case on Tuesday, stating that once the new rules of the Common European Asylum System (GEAS) take effect, internal border checks must, in perspective, come to an end.
Fiedler's remarks were published in the newspapers of Mediengruppe Bayern in their Tuesday editions. "As Social Democrats, we have always maintained, as also set out in the coalition agreement, that when the new GEAS rules come into force, internal border controls must also come to an end in the long run," he said. He called on policymakers to begin reducing border checks step by step after June 12.
The SPD politician outlined a phased strategy for winding down the controls. He suggested beginning at internal borders that have seen fewer instances of irregular crossings. If the new GEAS framework subsequently leads to a further easing of pressures at other border sections as well, he argued, then controls at those points must also be brought to an end.
The conservative bloc took a markedly different position. Alexander Throm, the CDU's spokesperson on interior policy in the Bundestag, described calls to end controls as premature. Speaking to Mediengruppe Bayern, Throm cautioned that possible effects of the GEAS reform cannot be expected to materialise overnight. He called for a period of observation to determine whether all EU member states fulfil their obligations under the new rules.
Throm singled out compliance by specific countries as a key litmus test for Germany. "The pivotal question for Germany will be whether countries such as Italy and Greece adhere to the rules," he added, referring to the member states at the EU's external borders that are central to the functioning of the new asylum framework.
The European asylum reform, formally known as the Common European Asylum System, or GEAS, is set to enter into force on Friday, June 13. The reform is designed to reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving in the EU and introduces a series of tighter provisions that will also affect procedures in Germany.
Human rights organisation Pro Asyl issued a warning on Monday, cautioning that the reform risks eroding the legal protections afforded to people seeking asylum. The group expressed concern that the new rules could hollow out the rights of those in need of international protection.
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