EU ‘Asylum System’-Elements, Failure and Reform Prospects

Abstract

In 2015, refugees certainly were the number one issue in the media as well as in many political discussions all over Europe. If one word marked this situation, it was ‘refugee crisis’. Pictures popped up on the net-pictures of crammed and overloaded refugee boats, of thousands of people on their way to seek shelter, of police forces at the borders, who were not able-and sometimes seemed unwilling-to cope with those crying for help.