EU Commission: Accept asylum-seekers or pay up
EU nations that reject asylum seekers from overburdened frontline states will face a 250,000 euro charge per refugee under a plan unveiled by the European Commission. It’s drawn rapid rebuffs from Slovakia and Poland.
A revised relocation system to reform the EU’s so-called “Dublin” asylum system was proposed Wednesday by the EU’s executive. Italy, which tens of thousands of new arrivals, has led the push for a “fairness mechanism” when it comes to dealing with asylum-seekers who enter the 28-member bloc.
The EU Commission’ proposal to revise future redistribution rules under Dublin would see quotas based on each nation’s population and wealth. If a nation found itself handling 50 percent more than its due share, it would be allowed to reallocate asylum seekers to other nations.
The Commission said Wednesday any member state could opt “temporarily not take part in the reallocation, but must then pay 250,000 euros ($288,000) per asylum seeker.
The money would benefit the countries that took in applicants and process their requests.
