What happened
Within the EU, an idea to abolish the right to asylum is being discussed following events in Ceuta, reports Sveriges Radio Ekot. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner comments on the issue, stating that the union must be able to act faster. Further details on who formally presented the idea or what it entails in concrete terms are not clear from the initial reporting.
Our analysis
EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner justifies the need with faster action, but reporting does not specify which member state or actor is pushing the demand to abolish the right to asylum. Standard reporting completely omits how scrapping the right to asylum relates to international law, and no people in need of protection have been asked about the consequences. Since no figures are presented, it is impossible to determine how many people are affected or what the proposal would cost in curtailed rights. For such a change to become a reality, formal legislative initiatives within the EU are required, but for now it remains unclear whether this is a concrete legislative effort or a political stunt.
Explained
The right to asylum is the international right for a person fleeing persecution to seek protection in another country. Ceuta is a Spanish city in North Africa bordering Morocco, forming one of the EU's external land borders.
Source: Sveriges Radio Ekot