More than a million refugees crossed into the EU in 2015: almost 4,000 are believed to have drowned in the attempt. Britain has so far been shielded from the crisis because, under the EU’s “Dublin system”, responsibility for asylum claims falls on the member state where asylum seekers first arrive. But the system is proving untenable: border nations such as Greece are simply unable to cope with such vast numbers. Yet the UK and Eastern European states have resisted attempts to create a Europe-wide asylum system, while Germany’s offer to take in large numbers has caused chaos, with some nations allowing refugees to pass, and others, such as Hungary, erecting barriers to block their route; thousands have been left in makeshift camps.
This year an EU deal with Turkey has reduced…
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The Week United Kingdom (Digital) - 1 Issue, V. 1076