A sign reads ‘Federal Republic of Germany’ at the German border town of Koepchen at the border to Belgium, on September 16, 2024, as Germany begins carrying out checks at all its land borders. [Martin Meissner/AP]
Austrian analyst and head of the European Stability Initiative Gerald Knaus advocates for changes in the EU’s refugee legislation, urging Greece to propose a safe third-country model to Germany. He praises the 2016 EU-Turkey migration deal and suggests similar agreements with other countries to manage migration effectively.
Knaus criticizes the German opposition’s strict border return policy, highlighting its impracticality and how it fuels far-right rhetoric. He warns against building detention centers and stresses the need for a collaborative approach with third countries. The EU’s current migration laws are flawed, leading to violations by member states with no consequences.
He concludes that failure to address migration challenges could lead to an existential crisis for the EU. Cooperation, rather than confrontational measures, is essential for sustainable migration management.