World · Europe · 4 hrs ago
Nearly 40 groups urge Germany to defend the right to asylum in the EU
Dozens of organisations urged Germany to defend asylum rights ahead of EU talks on migration.
They warn that proposals could let countries suspend access to asylum procedures in exceptional situations, such as a sudden large arrival of people.
The debate follows a deadly arrival in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, where tens of thousands of people came from Morocco in late July.
More than 140 people died trying to reach the enclave, according to the organisations.
The groups say people could be turned away without individual checks of whether they face persecution, war or torture, and warn that this could weaken European rights and make pushbacks easier to justify.
They want EU states to share responsibility instead of lowering protections; the EU talks are due to begin later this week, but the sources do not say how Germany will respond.
Nearly 40 German organisations have urged the federal government to defend the right to asylum in the European Union.
They warn that proposed emergency measures could allow asylum rights to be suspended in exceptional situations, leaving people unable to seek protection.
The appeal comes ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, where member states are set to discuss asylum policy.
The organisations cite the events in Ceuta, where about 70,000 people arrived from Morocco at the end of July and more than 140 people died.
They say the EU should respond to such crises with solidarity among member states, not by lowering protections.
- Who
- Nearly 40 German organisations, including Amnesty International Germany, Pro Asyl and Doctors Without Borders.
- What
- They appealed to the federal government to defend the right to asylum in the EU and oppose suspending it in exceptional situations.
- When
- The appeal was reported on 14 October 2026, ahead of an EU summit beginning Thursday.
- Where
- The appeal was addressed to Germany’s federal government; the policy debate is at EU level, ahead of a summit in Brussels.
- Why
- The organisations fear proposed emergency measures could prevent people from seeking asylum and weaken fundamental rights.
The organisations urging the government to defend asylum rights
EU governments and political groups backing tighter asylum measures
Policy response to exceptional arrivals
The organisations urging the government to defend asylum rights
The organisations say EU states should show solidarity and preserve individual asylum assessments.
EU governments and political groups backing tighter asylum measures
Supporters of stricter measures are discussing emergency procedures and faster returns in exceptional situations.
Suspending asylum rights
The organisations urging the government to defend asylum rights
The organisations warn that suspension would endanger people seeking protection and weaken EU rights.
EU governments and political groups backing tighter asylum measures
The articles describe proposals to suspend asylum rights in certain situations, including very high arrivals linked to suspected instrumentalisation of migration.
About 70,000 people arrived in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, and more than 140 people died.
EU interior ministers agreed that asylum procedures could be accelerated and conducted outside asylum rules in certain situations, according to the Frankfurter Rundschau.
The organisations issued an appeal to the German government.
The EU summit in Brussels was due to begin.
- Signatories
- 38 organisations, according to Frankfurter Rundschau
- Ceuta arrivals
- About 70,000 people arrived from Morocco at the end of July
- Deaths
- More than 140 people died while trying to reach Ceuta
- EU summit
- Brussels; due to begin Thursday
- Appeal
- Organisations urged Germany to defend the right to asylum
3 sources
What people are saying
Weitere Absenkungen der Standards wären weder notwendig noch verhältnismäßig. Jeder Mensch hat Anspruch auf eine individuelle Prüfung seines Antrags auf Asyl.
Wenn Regierungen Schutzsuchenden in bestimmten Situationen pauschal den Zugang zu Asylverfahren verweigern, dann steht der Kern des europäischen Flüchtlingsschutzes auf dem Spiel.
Wer heute das Recht für bestimmte Situationen aussetzen lässt, stärkt diejenigen, die seine Abschaffung fordern, und verschiebt die Grenze dessen, was politisch und rechtlich möglich erscheint – ein gefährlicher Präzedenzfall für Grundrechte in der Europäischen Union
Stehen Sie auf europäischer Ebene klar für die europäischen Grundrechte und damit auch für das Recht auf Asyl ein.