Access to asylum procedure at Poland’s external borders. Current situation and challenges for the future
Access to asylum procedure at Poland’s external borders. Current situation and challenges for the future
In 2015, an unprecedented number of asylum applications were lodged in the European Union. Migrants seeking international protection were coming mainly from Middle Eastern and African countries affected by armed conflicts or mass human rights violations, such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Somalia. The majority of them arrived in Italy and Greece, and the asylum systems of both countries were soon overburdened. However, Member States could not come to an agreement on how to react to the situation. Some of them postulated solidarity and a burden-sharing approach, while others refused, invoking national interest and security concerns.
