The future of European migration policy may change significantly, and these changes may affect not only those seeking asylum due to economic difficulties, but also refugees from Ukraine. The European Union is developing a plan to revise the 1951 Refugee Convention, which could lead to a significant strengthening of the rules for the deportation of refugees who have failed to obtain international protection status. This could become one of the biggest reforms in EU migration policy in recent decades.
This is reported The Times, emphasizing that there is a growing conviction in Europe that the 1951 Convention no longer corresponds to modern realities. This document, signed by 144 countries, establishes the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the deportation of people to countries where their life or freedom is in danger. However, the current migration crisis has called into question the effectiveness of this agreement.
Over the last decade, European countries have faced an unprecedented influx of migrants, and in 2024 the number of applications for refugee status will exceed one million. This led to a significant burden on state institutions processing such requests, as well as to a general increase in dissatisfaction among EU citizens. In addition, some migrants do not integrate into society, forming closed communities with norms and traditions that contradict European values.
The political consequences of this issue are felt in many EU countries. In Germany, the issue of migration has become one of the key issues in the election campaign, and conservative leader Friedrich Merz has called for a stronger asylum policy. His initiatives received the support of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which indicates a significant public demand for changes in the field of migration policy.
The diplomatic document of the EU directly states that the current policy does not meet the challenges of the modern world. Union member states want more freedom to return migrants who do not meet refugee criteria and to fight illegal migration. This decision could change the situation not only for migrants from Africa and the Middle East, but also affect Ukrainian refugees in the future, if the EU decides to revise the rules on temporary protection of Ukrainian citizens.
Thus, Europe’s migration policy is entering a new phase that may have far-reaching consequences. If the changes are approved, it will mean increased controls, tougher requirements for those who want to stay in the EU, and new challenges for the countries that host the most migrants. Ukrainians who fled the war should carefully monitor the development of events, because in the future these reforms may change their status in European countries.
