Migration Aspects of the German Presidency of the EU Council

• Main Author: Vladislav Belov
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Institute of Europe Russian Academy of Sciences 2020-04-01
• Series: Научно-аналитический вестник Института Европы РАН
• Subjects: the european union; germany; africa; presidency of the council of the eu; migration policy; legal and illegal migration; refugees
• Online Access: http://vestnikieran.instituteofeurope.ru/images/Belov42020.pdf

One of the most difficult tasks that Germany will have to solve during its presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2020 is to improve the EU’s migration policy in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Its implementation is the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of the interior and its subordinate Federal office for migration. The article analyzes the content of the German program declared for this period and assesses the prospects for implementing its migration provisions. The main challenges for Germany are improving the asylum procedure, which should be based on the principles of solidarity and responsibility of all EU countries, strengthening its external borders and returning citizens who are not eligible for refugee status. Germany pays special attention to African countries in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. Berlin also wants to make pro- gress in the area of legal migration, especially in attracting highly skilled workers. The author analyzes the main migration provisions of the stated agenda of the German presidency and assesses the prospects for their implementation.