Mass Influx and the Dublin System: A Critical Assessment of the EU Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis

The mass influx of asylum seekers in 2015 exposed the Common European Asylum System (CEAS), especially the application of Dublin III Regulation. CEAS was rendered ineffective in the face of large-scale movements of asylum seekers. The bulk of academic explanation available falls short in pointing out tangible mechanisms within the European Union (EU) asylum system on how mass influx of asylum seekers can be effectively managed. This scholarly vacuum runs the danger of leaving serious questions unanswered, especially on how future influxes can be adequately managed. The study therefore examines the Syrian refugees’ experiences with the application of CEAS at the peak of the refugee crisis of 2015. It points out the non-activation of Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) in the face of 2015 refugee crisis and how prima facie approach was not adopted in tackling the refugee crisis. It also acknowledges the growing influence of the far-right movement within the Union, with their antimigrant rhetoric, that can possibly influence the asylum policy formulation at Union and MS levels. It assesses the impact of a mass influx of asylum seekers on the EU frontline states and examines the ineffectiveness of the EU asylum system in the face of a mass influx of asylum seekers. It further assesses the unilateral and collective responses of the EU to the Syrian refugee crisis. The study adopts a qualitative method, and a phenomenological approach, with interview and document analysis as the data collection tools. The data analysis focuses on the interviews conducted with the Syrian refugees in the UK, France, Germany, and Austria as well as European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and Frontex officials. It also reviews relevant jurisprudence; examines the evaluation report on the Dublin III Regulation, reviews the proposed Dublin IV Regulation, and proffers solutions concerning how similar influxes can be effectively managed in future.