Cracked Foundation, Uncertain Future: Structural weaknesses in the Common European Asylum System

Beirens, Hanne (2018) Cracked Foundation, Uncertain Future: Structural weaknesses in the Common European Asylum System. UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

In 2014 and 2015, as more than 1 million asylum seekers travelled to Europe in search of safety, national reception systems faltered, the European Union failed to coordinate a rapid and effective response, and many asylum and social-support systems reached a breaking point. Yet the number of arrivals alone, while historic, was not solely to blame. Structural deficiencies—both legal and operational—are baked into the very DNA of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and have long undermined Europe’s ability to manage asy- lum flows in a humane and efficient manner. As EU and national policymakers seek to reform asylum systems across the bloc to improve their operability and stress-resilience, it is essential that they take due account of these weaknesses.

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