The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has issued internal instructions suspending the Dublin procedure in respect of Syrian nationals.

According to the instructions, dated 21 August 2015, Dublin procedures that have already been initiated in relation to Syrians are to be cancelled, in order for Germany to become the Member State responsible for processing their claims. This entails that enforceable return orders for Dublin transfers to other countries are also to be revoked. Newly applying Syrian asylum seekers are to be immediately channelled into the regular asylum procedure and will not be given the Dublin questionnaires usually provided to applicants.

Between January and July 2015, Germany has registered 44,417 applications from Syrians. The country is also anticipating a total of as many as 800,000 applications this year, a far exceeding the number of asylum seekers received in any other EU Member State.

Under the Dublin Regulation, a Member State may make use of the "sovereignty clause" to voluntarily assume responsibility for processing asylum applications for which it is not otherwise responsible under the criteria of the Regulation.

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ECRE thanks the Dublin Transnational Network for providing this information.

Photo source: EASO, Annual Report on the situation of asylum in the European Union 2014.