Greece has submitted a proposal to the European Union requesting that member states be permitted to temporarily halt asylum applications during periods of mass migration influx. The suggestion was presented to EU interior ministers convening in Luxembourg during a Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting. Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris argued that while the EU’s migration pact, which became operational in June, has enhanced the bloc’s capacity to manage migration flows, it remains insufficient to address emergency situations such as the significant arrival of migrants in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta earlier this summer.
The proposal has garnered backing from certain member states, including the Netherlands. Dutch Migration Minister Bart van den Brink expressed support for the approach, characterizing large-scale arrivals comparable to those in Ceuta as fundamentally a border management matter rather than an asylum concern. Spanish authorities documented more than 72,000 migrant entries into Ceuta in late July, though the majority subsequently departed, leaving approximately 10,000 individuals remaining in the enclave. This situation has intensified discussions among European capitals regarding implementing more stringent migration measures.
EU officials have acknowledged that while the migration pact has contributed to reducing irregular arrivals by 35 percent this year and increasing returns by approximately 8 percent in the first half of the year, additional mechanisms may be necessary for managing large-scale emergencies. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced two weeks prior that the commission would introduce an emergency framework enabling member states to respond to sudden, large-scale arrival scenarios. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunller emphasized that any response must remain consistent with international law and fundamental rights, while addressing security dimensions of engineered and weaponized migration movements.
During the same council meeting, ministers approved a new return regulation permitting member states to establish return facilities outside EU territory. A coalition of five countries—Greece, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Denmark—held separate discussions regarding the identification of a potential host nation for such a facility. A technical mission conducted site assessments in early September, with the group targeting identification of the host country by year’s end and anticipated commencement of transfers in 2027.
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