Over the last years the EU border regime has undergone a remarkable shift towards political technologies that act in growing disregard towards the suffering and possible death of migrants on their way to Europe. Especially since the... more
Over the last years the EU border regime has undergone a remarkable shift towards political technologies that act in growing disregard towards the suffering and possible death of migrants on their way to Europe. Especially since the EU-Turkey Deal in March 2016 this development has once again drastically deteriorated the situation on the Aegean islands. The ›hotspots‹ have been transformed gradually into open air prisons, in which lives are put on hold, different forms of violence overlap and an enclosed population is exposed to disproportional epidemic risks. Combining perspectives of a political and engaged anthropology as well as of Critical Border and Europeanization Studies this dialogue discusses the shape and effects of processes of spatial fragmentation at the ›margins of Europe‹. What does daily life look like in these politically produced zones of exception in times of COVID-19? How are they linked to the imperial and colonial histories of Europe, on the one hand, as well ...
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Over the last years the EU border regime has undergone a remarkable shift towards political technologies that act in growing disregard towards the suffering and possible death of migrants on their way to Europe. Especially since the... more
Over the last years the EU border regime has undergone a remarkable shift towards political technologies that act in growing disregard towards the suffering and possible death of migrants on their way to Europe. Especially since the EU-Turkey Deal in March 2016 this development has once again drastically deteriorated the situation on the Aegean islands. The ›hotspots‹ have been transformed gradually into open air prisons, in which lives are put on hold, different forms of violence overlap and an enclosed population is exposed to disproportional epidemic risks. Combining perspectives of a political and engaged anthropology as well as of Critical Border and Europeanization Studies this dialogue discusses the shape and effects of processes of spatial fragmentation at the ›margins of Europe‹. What does daily life look like in these politically produced zones of exception in times of COVID-19? How are they linked to the imperial and colonial histories of Europe, on the one hand, as well as to global regimes of controlling mobilities on the other hand? Which political rationalities and modes of governance overlap here? And taking the growing relevance of »necropolitics« in these border regimes into consideration: Should we assume that the era of »humanitarian reason« has come to an end?
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The EU-Turkey Deal is a central reaction to the 2015 flight-migration into Europe. In the context of the Deal, the boundary between voluntariness and force is blurred, forming the condition of possibility of expulsion. The overlapping of... more
The EU-Turkey Deal is a central reaction to the 2015 flight-migration into Europe. In the context of the Deal, the boundary between voluntariness and force is blurred, forming the condition of possibility of expulsion. The overlapping of two different forms of migration management approaches, the EU-Turkey Deal and the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme create a grey zone of indistinction. Within this grey zone, access to rights is systematically made impossible. "Voluntary return" enables the bypassing of legal guarantees certified by the Geneva Refugee Convention drawing on the paradigm of alleged individualized freedom of choice. The central effect of this grey zone is the lack of accountability of any agency participating in the deportations labelled as voluntary.
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This report examines the asylum determination systems and refugee protection regimes of Germany from a multilevel governance perspective, taking into consideration the national level as well as the state and municipal one. Additionally it... more
This report examines the asylum determination systems and refugee protection regimes of Germany from a multilevel governance perspective, taking into consideration the national level as well as the state and municipal one. Additionally it explores the legal framework, as well as its implementation and concrete practices, along with main narratives among public and state actors and the perception and experiences of asylum-seeking migrants from a historical perspective. The report reveals that after a key decisive policy change in 1993, codified in the so-called asylum compromise establishing central features that endure until today, the nextdecisive break was the developments of 2015/2016 – with the massive inflow of nearly 800,000 asylum-seeking migrants to Germany. This new increase in numbers led to a near collapse of the reception and procedural systems that had been cut back over previous years, producing in fact a self-made emergency situation.
Our report and the many statements of asylum-seeking migrants, of NGOs and lawyers, all emphasise the need to have a broad civil society sector and volunteers that support asylum applicants through each and every step of their procedure, monitoring the performances of state institutions and filling the gaps where state provisions endanger the rule of law and fundamental rights – as codified in international European and national laws.
Our report and the many statements of asylum-seeking migrants, of NGOs and lawyers, all emphasise the need to have a broad civil society sector and volunteers that support asylum applicants through each and every step of their procedure, monitoring the performances of state institutions and filling the gaps where state provisions endanger the rule of law and fundamental rights – as codified in international European and national laws.
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This country report analyses the border management and migration control policies of the Federal Republic of Germany in relation to the policies and regulations of the European Union. It outlines Germany’s hegemonic position within the... more
This country report analyses the border management and migration control policies of the Federal Republic of Germany in relation to the policies and regulations of the European Union. It outlines Germany’s hegemonic position within the European Union regarding migration management and border policies. We argue that the securitized perspective on migration policies – including the externalization strategy prevalent in the EU – is to a substantial degree rooted in discourses, policies, legislation and practices of Germany closely interwoven with European policies.
The hegemonic position of the Federal Republic of Germany has expressed itself in both the political developments since 2011 outlined in the report, and the increasingly restrictive German legislation on migration control. In several cases, German legislation has been transmitted to the European level.
Furthermore, there is a dominant narrative by federal ministries conceptualizing border security as an essential part of an “integrated migration management approach”. This perception has been strongly driven by the securitization of migration as response to migration movements to Europe, especially in the course of 2015 which were collectively perceived as a “refugee crisis”. The notion of “integrated migration management” expresses a perceived need to regulate migration through the close cooperation of actors on different levels and in different policy fields (economic cooperation and development, internal security, integration, foreign policy, police cooperation with other national and EU-external border officers, data exchange, as well as return and reintegration policies). In addition, exceptional measures such as the reintroduction of national border controls were implemented.
However, the report stresses that Germany’s border management cannot be reduced to policies at its national borders. What is more relevant is the vast number of externalization measures, both within and beyond the European Union. Through bilateral and multilateral police agreements as well as migration/readmission agreements with Member States, countries of origin and transit countries,
Germany has significantly advanced the European Union’s externalization of migration management. The German police are also actively involved with FRONTEX, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
In addition, the report outlines Germany’s restrictive border policies in the fields of pre-entry and internal controls (such as visa policies, carrier sanctions and veil searches), as well as in the field of detention and return. We analyse how the national policies to enforce speedy procedures and swift returns leads to a rise of encampment, detention and readmissions; the effects of these policies can be seen in EU policies that also endanger legal safeguards.
The hegemonic position of the Federal Republic of Germany has expressed itself in both the political developments since 2011 outlined in the report, and the increasingly restrictive German legislation on migration control. In several cases, German legislation has been transmitted to the European level.
Furthermore, there is a dominant narrative by federal ministries conceptualizing border security as an essential part of an “integrated migration management approach”. This perception has been strongly driven by the securitization of migration as response to migration movements to Europe, especially in the course of 2015 which were collectively perceived as a “refugee crisis”. The notion of “integrated migration management” expresses a perceived need to regulate migration through the close cooperation of actors on different levels and in different policy fields (economic cooperation and development, internal security, integration, foreign policy, police cooperation with other national and EU-external border officers, data exchange, as well as return and reintegration policies). In addition, exceptional measures such as the reintroduction of national border controls were implemented.
However, the report stresses that Germany’s border management cannot be reduced to policies at its national borders. What is more relevant is the vast number of externalization measures, both within and beyond the European Union. Through bilateral and multilateral police agreements as well as migration/readmission agreements with Member States, countries of origin and transit countries,
Germany has significantly advanced the European Union’s externalization of migration management. The German police are also actively involved with FRONTEX, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
In addition, the report outlines Germany’s restrictive border policies in the fields of pre-entry and internal controls (such as visa policies, carrier sanctions and veil searches), as well as in the field of detention and return. We analyse how the national policies to enforce speedy procedures and swift returns leads to a rise of encampment, detention and readmissions; the effects of these policies can be seen in EU policies that also endanger legal safeguards.
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Der Kampf gegen 'illegale Einreise' und 'Schleusung' ist ein integraler Bestandteil der Grenzpolitiken der Europäischen Union. 'Schleuser' werden als Kriminelle betrachtet, die Menschen ausbeuten und in Lebensgefahr bringen. In weit... more
Der Kampf gegen 'illegale Einreise' und 'Schleusung' ist ein integraler Bestandteil der Grenzpolitiken der Europäischen Union. 'Schleuser' werden als Kriminelle betrachtet, die Menschen ausbeuten und in Lebensgefahr bringen. In weit verbreiteten Diskursen und EU-Dokumenten werden Personen, die Grenzüberquerungen ermöglichen, mit Menschenhändlern gleichgesetzt. Dies führt zu drakonischen Strafen gegen Personen, die als 'Schleuser' gelabelt werden, was einerseits durch Grenzschutzpolitiken und andererseits durch vermeintliche humanitäre Sorge um Menschenleben gerechtfertigt wird.
Der Bericht zeigt die Auswirkungen dieser Politiken an der EU-Außengrenze in Griechenland. Er analysiert, wie die Gesetze der Europäischen Union und des griechischen Staates genau diejeningen treffen, die sie zu beschützen vorgeben: Die Betroffenen sind marginalisiert und aus der Gesellschaft ausgeschlossen, häufig selbst Geflüchtete, die gezwungen durch ihre sozioökonomische Situation oder um Asyl zu suchen, ein Boot von der Türkei auf die griechischen Inseln steuern.
Die Analyse folgt dem Schicksal von 48 Personen von ihrer Festnahme bis in den Gerichtssaal. Ohne Ausnahme wurden sie in Gerichtsverfahren verurteilt, die grundlegende rechtliche Standards unterlaufen. In den meisten Fällen wird eine lebenslängliche Gefängnisstrafe verhängt und die Betroffenene werden als Sündenböcke einer verfehlten europäischen Migrationspolitik eingesperrt.
Der Bericht zeigt die Auswirkungen dieser Politiken an der EU-Außengrenze in Griechenland. Er analysiert, wie die Gesetze der Europäischen Union und des griechischen Staates genau diejeningen treffen, die sie zu beschützen vorgeben: Die Betroffenen sind marginalisiert und aus der Gesellschaft ausgeschlossen, häufig selbst Geflüchtete, die gezwungen durch ihre sozioökonomische Situation oder um Asyl zu suchen, ein Boot von der Türkei auf die griechischen Inseln steuern.
Die Analyse folgt dem Schicksal von 48 Personen von ihrer Festnahme bis in den Gerichtssaal. Ohne Ausnahme wurden sie in Gerichtsverfahren verurteilt, die grundlegende rechtliche Standards unterlaufen. In den meisten Fällen wird eine lebenslängliche Gefängnisstrafe verhängt und die Betroffenene werden als Sündenböcke einer verfehlten europäischen Migrationspolitik eingesperrt.
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The fight against 'illegal entry' and 'human smuggling' is one of the core priorities of the European Union's border policies. Smugglers are considered criminals exploiting human beings and putting their lives at risk. In widespread... more
The fight against 'illegal entry' and 'human smuggling' is one of the core priorities of the European Union's border policies. Smugglers are considered criminals exploiting human beings and putting their lives at risk. In widespread discourses and EU documents, people facilitating border crossings are equated with human traffickers. This leads to the draconian punishment of those labelled as smugglers, justified through both border security policies and alledgedly humanitarian concerns to protect human lives.
This report shows the impact of these policies at the EU-external border in Greece. It analyses how EU and Greek policies and laws hit exactly those who they supposedly aim to protect: the people convicted are marginalized and excluded from society, often refugees themselves, who are forced to steer a boat from Turkey to the Greek Islands to seek asylum or whose socio-economic situation forces them to do so.
The analysis follows the fate of 48 people from their arrest to the court room. All of them were convicted in trials failing even basic standards of fairness. In most cases they are sentenced to life-long imprisonment and incarcerated as scapegoats of the failed European migration policy.
This report shows the impact of these policies at the EU-external border in Greece. It analyses how EU and Greek policies and laws hit exactly those who they supposedly aim to protect: the people convicted are marginalized and excluded from society, often refugees themselves, who are forced to steer a boat from Turkey to the Greek Islands to seek asylum or whose socio-economic situation forces them to do so.
The analysis follows the fate of 48 people from their arrest to the court room. All of them were convicted in trials failing even basic standards of fairness. In most cases they are sentenced to life-long imprisonment and incarcerated as scapegoats of the failed European migration policy.
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Der EU-Türkei-Deal vom 18. März 2016 bildet eine der zentralen Antworten auf die (Flucht-)Migration nach Europa in den Jahren 2015/16, die als sogenannte ›Flüchtlingskrise‹ rezipiert wurde. Einerseits sollte Migration drastisch reduziert... more
Der EU-Türkei-Deal vom 18. März 2016 bildet eine der zentralen Antworten auf die (Flucht-)Migration nach Europa in den Jahren 2015/16, die als sogenannte ›Flüchtlingskrise‹ rezipiert wurde. Einerseits sollte Migration drastisch reduziert und andererseits eine humanitäre Aufnahme von Geflüchteten aus der Türkei nach Europa ermöglicht werden. Doch anstelle eines ausgeklügelten Systems der Rückübernahme hat die EU-Türkei-Erklärung zu einer umfassenden Entrechtung von MigrantInnen geführt.
Der militarisierte Grenzschutz wurde aufgestockt und viele Fliehende werden gewaltsam an der Flucht über die Ägäis gehindert. Die griechischen Hotspot-Inseln vor der türkischen Küste wurden in Sonderrechts-Zonen und Freiluftgefängnisse verwandelt, in denen Menschen über Monate und Jahre ausharren und auf die Entscheidung ihres Asylverfahrens warten müssen. Nach der Rückführung in die Türkei werden die meisten Menschen dort inhaftiert und schließlich weiter in ihr Herkunftsland abgeschoben.
Der formal und rechtlich nicht kodifizierte EU-Türkei Deal bildet somit eine Blau-pause der europäischen Externalisierung von Migrationskontrolle in außereuropäische Drittstaaten. Dies führt zu einer grundlegenden Entrechtung von Schutz-suchenden und zur Aushöhlung des europäischen Asylsystems.
Der militarisierte Grenzschutz wurde aufgestockt und viele Fliehende werden gewaltsam an der Flucht über die Ägäis gehindert. Die griechischen Hotspot-Inseln vor der türkischen Küste wurden in Sonderrechts-Zonen und Freiluftgefängnisse verwandelt, in denen Menschen über Monate und Jahre ausharren und auf die Entscheidung ihres Asylverfahrens warten müssen. Nach der Rückführung in die Türkei werden die meisten Menschen dort inhaftiert und schließlich weiter in ihr Herkunftsland abgeschoben.
Der formal und rechtlich nicht kodifizierte EU-Türkei Deal bildet somit eine Blau-pause der europäischen Externalisierung von Migrationskontrolle in außereuropäische Drittstaaten. Dies führt zu einer grundlegenden Entrechtung von Schutz-suchenden und zur Aushöhlung des europäischen Asylsystems.