The Evolution of the European Union's Asylum Policy Through the 2015 Migrant Crisis

Abstract

Since 2015, an unexpected number of migrants have rushed to the European Union in hopes of improving their lives. Contrary to their expectations, asylum-seekers realized that the EU is neither prepared nor willing to host them. This paper follows the progression of the EU's asylum policies, beginning with the 1951 Geneva Convention and the principle of non-refoulement. After establishing the criteria necessary for a migrant to be legally recognized as a refugee, the paper will look at how the EU evaluates individual applications for asylum. Through the lens of the 2015 Migrant Crisis, this paper highlights the shortcomings of the current, minimal asylum policies. The paper then concludes by evaluating a 2016 proposal to reconcile the EU's member states' respective asylum policies through a single, harmonious asylum policy.