Dublin procedure: Why Germany is increasingly failing because of EU countries

Dublin procedure: Why Germany is increasingly failing because of EU countries

A remarkable report makes it clear that Germany has a need for repatriations to other EU countries in the first half of 2025 as a result of the Dublin procedure, which has been washed away. A total of 20,574 requests for takeover were sent to other countries, but the actual repatriation of migrants fell short of expectations: only 3,109 migrants, i.e. around 15 percent, were actually repatriated. This highlights the challenges facing German migration policy.

The situation becomes even more complicated when one considers the readmissions: other EU countries have requested the take-back of 7,937 migrants in total, with the request being granted in 2,326 cases (around 29 percent). Among Germany's requests to Italy, which amount to 3,824 takeover requests, there was not a single case of repatriation, although Italy agreed to 4,477 requests, some from the previous year. This throws the Dublin procedure, which is supposed to regulate the determination of responsibility for asylum procedures in the EU, into question.

The Dublin procedure in review

As the daily news describes, there will be a significant increase in cases in 2023 and 2024 in which the German authorities have failed to transfer asylum seekers to the responsible EU partner countries in accordance with the requirements of the Dublin procedure. In many cases, official approval has already been given. The procedure itself stipulates that asylum seekers must submit an application in the member state in which they first entered the EU in order to prevent them from submitting asylum applications in several countries.

We find a particularly revealing example in the case of a suspected attacker in Aschaffenburg, whose return to Bulgaria could not take place in time due to processing delays. This clearly shows that even with approval, bureaucracy can play a decisive role.

Obstacles and challenges

In order to determine responsibility and the associated deadlines, the Dublin procedure provides clear regulations. The transfer must take place within a maximum period of six months after the receiving country has given its consent. Failure to do so will result in responsibility being transferred from the original member state to Germany. This is putting additional pressure on German authorities and leading to a worrying increase in unfinished cases.

In 2023, Germany applied for over 74,600 cases, of which only around 5,000 could actually be transferred. In 2024, requests again numbered over 74,000, but only around 5,800 transfers took place. Particularly alarming: Italy, which in the past often set impossible conditions for return transfers, only took over three cases from Germany last year, although more than 10,000 consents to readmission were given. In the discussion about migration policy, cooperation within the EU proves to be challenging when national interests collide.

The Federal Agency for Migration and Refugees points out the complexity of the procedure, which not only takes into account the legal basis, but also the practical challenges faced by the immigration authorities and the federal police. In many cases, German courts have blocked transfers to Croatia due to concerns about due process and accommodation conditions.

Migration policy in Germany is therefore facing enormous challenges that not only affect the current situation, but could also have far-reaching consequences for the future of asylum procedures in Europe. It looks like everyone involved needs to find a better connection with each other in order to break down the deadlocked structures and develop sustainable solutions.