In a significant development, the federal states of Germany have formally requested Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government to explore the possibility of outsourcing the country’s asylum process to transit countries or third parties, taking inspiration from Italy’s Albania plan. The states have set a deadline of June 20 for the government to provide detailed information on the feasibility and implications of such a move.
While the request does not explicitly mention any specific cases, the regional leaders have emphasized the need for Chancellor Scholz to furnish the required information before the next Conference of the Regional Presidents, scheduled for June 20. The news of this request was initially reported on the website of the prominent German daily, Handelsblatt.
Currently, Scholz’s government is carefully evaluating the legal and ethical aspects associated with the outsourcing of the asylum process. They are particularly focused on ensuring compliance with the principles enshrined in the Geneva Convention on Refugees and the European Convention for Human Rights.
Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, has expressed his belief in the viability of such an approach. On March 6, while discussing the issue of migration and the utilization of safe third countries for asylum seekers, Tajani stated, “The Italian-Albanian agreement is a model that, in my opinion, could be followed by others.”
The request made by the German states reflects a growing interest in exploring alternative mechanisms to manage the asylum process effectively. As discussions continue, the implications of outsourcing asylum requests to other countries or entities will undoubtedly be a subject of intense scrutiny and debate. The outcome of these deliberations will shape Germany’s approach to handling asylum seekers and could potentially have broader implications for the European asylum system as a whole.