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EU: Member states 'should pay for asylum rejections'

CCTV.com

05-05-2016 06:46 BJT

EU countries that refuse to accept refugees could face up to a 250-thousand euros fine for each asylum-seeker they refuse to accept. The new proposal to overhaul the EU's failed asylum laws are part of a plan to distribute the burden of taking on refugees more evenly.  If approved, the reform's "fairness mechanism" would assign each EU member state a specific number of asylum seekers that it has to accept. Around two-thirds of member countries and EU lawmakers must accept the plan for it to become law.

"Each member state's share will be based on clear and simple criteria: population size and GDP. Their resettlement efforts will also be taken into account in line with our objective to provide safe and legal pathways to Europe. All member states will be required to contribute and show solidarity. The new system will also be more efficient with shorter processes for assigning responsibilities and processing applications. It will discourage abuses with clear obligations for applicants and safeguards against asylum shopping. The right to international protection does not come with a right to choose the country where you want to have that international protection." European Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said.

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