“No more Morias”? Past and future of the hotspot approach at Europe’s border
The situation in the refugee camps on the Greek islands has been a cause of grave concern, long before the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fire at the Moria refugee camp in September 2020. More than five years after the so-called hotspots were set up, efficient asylum procedures remain elusive and reception standards in the camps are extremely poor. As debates continue over the future of European asylum policy – not least in the context of the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum – the question arises as to what lessons can be learned from the Greek experience. The webinar aims to provide an insight into the factors underlying the situation in Greece and asks what the future may hold for the Greek hotspots. It will also discuss how the “hotspot model” and border procedures are being used and could be improved at other locations at Europe’s external borders.