Pro Asyl says EU asylum reforms deepen deterrence, threaten rights at German airports

Pro Asyl released an eleven-page position paper in Frankfurt, concluding that the Common European Asylum System, which entered into force three months ago, is delivering on its worst-case predictions. The organization claims the reform focuses on deterrence and harshness, obstructing access to equitable asylum processes and weakening rule-of-law guarantees. It highlights newly introduced rapid border procedures at German airports, noting that even applicants with recognized special protection needs are often missed and that complex persecution narratives are assessed hastily without continuous independent counsel.

According to the paper, vulnerable groups such as children, traumatised individuals and survivors of gender-based violence face heightened pressure. Co-Chief Executive Karl Kopp described the shift toward “fast-track” cases as a move that restricts freedom of movement, can result in detention, and severely curtails legal safeguards. Pro Asyl urges the German government to protect fundamental and human rights throughout the system’s rollout.