Spain’s Draft Asylum Overhaul Could Force Moroccan Applicants to Appeal From Abroad
Moroccans whose asylum applications are rejected in Ceuta could have to challenge the decision from abroad. The measure is included in a draft Spanish decree aimed at speeding up the processing of applications and returns after the mass crossings in July. The decree has not yet been adopted.
The draft seen by Reuters on September 29 targets migrants from countries considered safe by the European Union, including Morocco. After an initial asylum rejection, they would no longer be able to remain in Spain while their appeal is reviewed and would have to pursue it from outside the country.
For the Moroccans affected, the change would be significant: challenging a rejection would no longer be enough to allow them to wait for a response in Spain. The draft would also apply to people who arrived during the mass crossings on July 30 and 31, not just future applicants.
On Bladi.net : Ceuta already records a 191% increase in entries… excluding the 72,000 crossings in July
Madrid is seeking to speed up procedures for the more than 10,000 migrants still in Ceuta. At the end of July, more than 70,000 people had crossed the border from Morocco. Bladi.net has already covered the European proposals prompted by the crisis, but the text reviewed by Reuters concerns rules Spain is considering applying on its own.
Appeals from abroad and faster case processing
The draft would also allow the usual review of applications by a commission bringing together several government departments and representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to be scrapped. An application would be considered withdrawn if its author could not be located for five days.
A person deemed violent or threatening could immediately lose the right to remain in the country while the procedure is underway. These provisions are part of the draft described by Reuters; they are not rules already in force.
On Bladi.net : 72,000 crossings from Morocco: Spain deploys the military option in Ceuta
Spain’s Interior Ministry did not comment on the document. Minister for Territorial Policy Ángel Víctor Torres acknowledged that the government was considering a legislative change to shorten procedures, while stressing the difficulties posed by international law.
Thirteen organizations, including the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid and Oxfam, are already challenging the draft. They fear it could compromise Spain’s obligations to protect asylum seekers.
