Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Greece proposes emergency suspension of asylum applications during migration crises
Greece wants the European Union to make a special emergency plan for very large movements of migrants.
The plan could temporarily stop authorities from accepting new asylum applications during a crisis.
Greece pointed to the arrival of more than 72,000 people in Ceuta in late July as an example.
Most of those people later returned, but about 10,000 were still there according to Spain.
Greece’s migration minister said current EU rules had helped reduce arrivals and increase returns.
He said those rules were not enough for sudden emergencies.
Greece also supports stronger border surveillance during such situations.
Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands are discussing return hubs outside the European Union.
These hubs would be part of broader efforts to increase deportations of people whose asylum claims are rejected.
Greece urged the European Union to create a mechanism allowing asylum applications to be temporarily suspended during major migration emergencies.
Migration Minister Thanos Plevris cited the arrival of more than 72,000 migrants in Spain’s Ceuta in late July as an example.
Spain estimates that about 10,000 migrants remain in Ceuta after most arrivals returned.
Greece said the EU migration pact had reduced arrivals and increased migrant returns, but was insufficient for emergencies.
Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands agreed on steps toward return hubs in a non-EU country.
- Who
- Greece, represented by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, urged the European Union to adopt an emergency asylum mechanism.
- What
- Greece proposed temporarily suspending asylum applications during major migration crises and called for stronger border surveillance.
- When
- The proposal was made on Thursday at a meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs ministers; it referred to arrivals in Ceuta in late July.
- Where
- The proposal was discussed at an EU ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg and focused partly on Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta.
- Why
- Greece said existing EU measures were insufficient for emergencies involving very large numbers of arrivals.
- Proposal
- Temporarily suspend asylum applications during major migration crises.
- Example cited
- More than 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta in late July, according to Spain.
- People remaining in Ceuta
- Around 10,000, after most arrivals returned.
- Greece’s previous action
- It stopped processing some asylum applications from North African migrants arriving by sea for several months last year.
- Return policy
- Greece passed legislation to fast-track deportations of rejected asylum seekers.
- Return-hub group
- Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands agreed on steps toward return hubs in a non-EU country.
- EU migration pact
- Greece said the pact had helped curb arrivals and increase migrant returns.