In spring, when it becomes warmer, drowning refugees in the Mediterranean occupy the media. A solution is demanded. Tony Blair (in 2003) and Otto Schily (in 2004) proposed the creation of European Union reception camps in North African states where refugees may seek asylum. Result: they would not need to come to Europe. A solution, debated with emotion, was born. This work examines the idea of externalised asylum procedures from a legal, a humanitarian, a political and an economic point of view. The analysis finally incorporates the solution into a broader context, namely the growing refugee burden sharing debate within the European Union (EU). Would the externalisation of asylum procedures represent an adequate EU refugee burden sharing system?

The Author: Born in Austria in 1981, Elisabeth Haun completed her studies in political science and economics at the University of Innsbruck (Austria) in 2006. At present, she works as a desk officer for Western Africa at Caritas Innsbruck International and in the field of EU migration policy at the University of Innsbruck.

: The burden sharing debate – History, reasons, and instruments – Externalisation of asylum procedures - reception camp plans and realizations – The adequacy of EU reception camps - analysis from a legal, a humanitarian, a political and an economic point of view.