Deportation guidelines focused on speeding up expulsions of failed asylum seekers and outsourcing asylum procedures to third countries are expected to dominate discussions as European Union (EU) leaders convene in Brussels today. Spain though is one of the few countries that appears to seek different solutions.
European Union member states convened in Brussels on Thursday (October 17) for a two-day summit. Top of the agenda is migration and pursuing new and effective policies for the bloc.
In a week when Italy began sending asylum seekers to specially constructed reception centers in Albania, the topic of how to expedite deportations is at the forefront of many countries' agendas. With several attending a meeting organized by Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands ahead of the main summit, where ways to try and outsource asylum processing will be examined.
Spain though appears to be standing out as something of an exception at the summit, as it is advocating for migrant integration not expulsion.
"[Immigration is] not just a question of humanitarianism..., it's also necessary for the prosperity of our economy and the sustainability of the welfare state...The key is in managing it well," Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said earlier this month, addressing parliament.
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The Spanish way
On Wednesday (October 16), Spanish Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz from the leftist party Sumar (Unite), which is part of Spain's governing coalition, said she disagreed with what appears to be a prevailing idea across Europe of outsourcing asylum, reported the news agency Associated Press (AP).
Spanish government spokesperson Pilar Alegría flatly rejected such a plan too, insisting, "the migration policy we are developing is already working."
The country's authorities, according to a report this week on the European news portal Euronews, are also considering using an almost disused airport not far from the capital Madrid as a new reception center for migrants.
Spain's slightly different approach though is not about throwing open its borders. Also this month, Sanchez said he would be urging the EU to implement the new EU pact on migration and asylum more quickly, and approached Frontex about returning to patrol African waters in order to help those countries manage migration and prevent so many attempting to cross the Atlantic towards Spain.
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Attracting migrant labor
In his speech to parliament earlier this month, Sánchez also announced a set of initiatives to encourage migrants to come to Spain. The planned programs include recognizing academic qualifications for temporary workers, simplifying contracts, and reducing red tape for residency applications.
Spain’s economy is outpacing its European neighbors, with immigrant labor helping to fill critical job market gaps. According to the Spanish statistical office, Spain's GDP grew by approximately 2 percent in 2023, significantly ahead of the Eurozone’s sluggish 0.7 percent growth. News agency Reuters reported earlier this month that Spain's economy is the fastest growing in the EU, boosted in part by a wave of skilled immigrants from Latin America.
Despite this, Spain has not been able to insulate itself from a growing anti-immigrant view. A public poll by the Spanish newspaper El Pais indicated that 57 percent of people felt that there were too many immigrants in the country.
While Spain's unemployment rate is at its lowest since 2008, it remains among the highest in Europe, especially among young people.
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Other countries going their own way
Spanish approaches are not shared by many of its fellow EU member states. Hungary, Poland, and the Netherlands have all taken a hard-line stance on migration, each pushing for stricter measures to limit the number of asylum seekers and streamline deportations.
Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has consistently tightened its borders and vetoed liberal immigration policies in the EU. Earlier this month, Hungary sent a letter to the European Commission, demanding the option to withdraw from EU asylum rules.
Similarly, Poland has refused to participate in EU relocation schemes for asylum seekers, emphasizing the need to protect national borders. This week, the Polish government announced plans to temporarily suspend the right to claim asylum at its border with Belarus.
The Netherlands has moved towards increasingly stricter migration policies. Last month, the Netherlands co-sponsored a proposal with Austria to improve the "efficiency" of the EU deportation system. The Dutch government is also reportedly looking into the possibility of sending rejected asylum seekers to Uganda.