WARSAW, Sept 25: Poland is calling on the European Union to allow member states to temporarily suspend the registration of asylum applications during what authorities describe as cases of “instrumentalised” or “weaponised” mass migration.
Poland introduced a measure in March 2025 restricting the registration of asylum claims by migrants crossing from Belarus. The government described the move as a temporary emergency response to what it considered an effort by Belarus and Russia to use migration pressure to destabilise Poland.
The measure, however, has remained in place for around 18 months. Polish officials are now seeking an EU-wide mechanism that would allow similar temporary restrictions during major border crises.
EU Considering Emergency Migration Framework
The issue gained momentum after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on September 16 that the EU executive would propose a new European emergency response framework for situations involving what she described as “engineered and weaponised” mass migration.
Von der Leyen said the framework could provide member states with greater flexibility in applying existing migration procedures for limited periods under specific circumstances.
Details of the proposed mechanism, including which procedures could be modified and whether approval from the European Parliament and EU member states would be required, have not yet been finalised.
Poland's Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Duszczyk, who oversees migration policy, welcomed the announcement and said it indicated growing interest in what he described as the “Polish solution.”
Rights Groups Raise Legal Concerns
Human rights organisations and some European lawmakers have expressed concern that extending Poland's approach across the EU could undermine international refugee protections.
Tineke Strik, a Dutch member of the European Parliament, warned that making temporary asylum restrictions a standard EU policy could weaken the principle that people must have an opportunity to seek protection before being returned.
Michael O'Flaherty, the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, also said discussions about suspending access to asylum raised concerns about possible violations of international law.
Critics have particularly highlighted the principle of non-refoulement, under which people should not be returned to countries where they could face persecution or serious harm.
Poland Defends Its Policy
Duszczyk said Poland's current approach is compatible with international law and maintained that vulnerable individuals, including pregnant women, children and people facing persecution in Belarus, can still seek asylum.
However, Polish rights organisations assisting migrants at the Belarus border dispute this interpretation.
Karolina Czerwinska of the Association for Legal Intervention said that while visibly pregnant women may have a better chance of being allowed to make an asylum claim, the circumstances of sick people and minors can be more difficult to establish.
Debate Over EU Migration Pact
The debate comes only months after the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum took effect. Human rights groups have pointed out that the pact already allows countries facing migration pressures to modify certain procedures, including extending processing deadlines and detention periods under specified circumstances.
Polish officials argue that the existing framework does not go far enough and that a separate emergency mechanism is needed to allow governments to temporarily suspend normal asylum procedures during exceptional border situations.
According to Polish officials, further details of the proposed EU emergency framework could be discussed at a meeting of interior ministers on October 1, followed by discussions at a European Council summit later in October.
