Asylum Germany earns criticism from EU partners for its border controls

The ministers of the Schengen states will discuss the return of rejected asylum seekers in Luxembourg on Thursday. Another topic at the meeting will be internal border controls. Switzerland will be represented by Federal Councillor Beat Jans.

A revision of the Return Directive is urgently needed, said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in the run-up to the meeting. In practice, returns must become "more manageable". According to the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, around 18 percent of rejected asylum seekers were actually returned this year. This figure is rising.

Germany's introduction of internal border controls in mid-September was criticized. No controls are more productive, it stimulates the economy, said Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden. Johansson said that it was particularly important that the controls did not hinder commuter traffic. According to Faeser, the controls are coordinated with neighboring countries.

SDA