Dutch to adopt ‘softly softly’ approach to asylum policy

Date: 16/01/1997

By Mark Turner

DUTCH plans to tackle sensitive asylum issues this year are causing some jitters amongst EU justice and home affairs experts.

There are fears that arguments between interior ministries could jeopardise one of the few areas where the Intergovernmental Conference has come close to reaching a consensus.

Perhaps also chastened by its vitriolic fall-out with France over drug policy last year, The Hague plans to play a cautious game for the next three months.

“As far as asylum policy is concerned, our presidency can be split into two halves,” explained one Dutch official. “During the first, we will focus on very practical and uncontroversial measures. But once the results of the IGC begin to emerge, we will launch a more general debate on policy harmonisation.”

Between now and March, the Dutch will concentrate on implementing the Dublin Convention, which already goes some way towards creating a common front on asylum policy.

The convention establishes one member state as responsible for handling any asylum request. Experts hope this will prevent third-country nationals from 'asylum shopping' trying country after country until one takes them in.

Once Ireland has ratified the convention, all member states will be able to translate the provisions into concrete action. But the experience of members of the Schengen free movement zone suggests this will not be easy. A number of rigorous, yet speedy, procedures will be needed to monitor applicants once they have entered the EU.

But even during their first three months in charge, the Dutch could find themselves in turbulent waters. Not only are member states likely to begin repatriating Bosnian refugees, but planned discussions on unaccompanied minors seeking asylum could also take an emotional turn.

German plans to tighten visa rules for foreign children reflect growing concern that under-16-year-olds are being sent to the Union by parents hoping to follow them at a later stage.

“This is a very difficult question,” said the Dutch official. “From a humanitarian point of view, we have to put the interest of the child first, but this sort of abuse is becoming increasingly common. In some cases, the numbers are quite considerable.”

Finally, negotiations on common EU reception conditions for asylum seekers may well be sensitive, given the hardline position of some Union governments.

These proposals underline the increasingly political nature of the EU's justice and home affairs pillar. Asylum questions in particular are closely linked to foreign policy and have engendered heated debates between EU member states. But given IGC moves to give the European Commission greater powers in this field possibly under a special new pillar the Netherlands has elected to take the bit between its teeth.