Decisions on the examination of asylum applications of Syrian refugees fall within the competence of member states, Stefan de Kersmacher, the Commission spokesman responsible for migration issues, said today.

“Decisions on the examination of asylum applications fall within the competence of the Member States. It is important that Member States when taking such decisions comply with EU rules and always bear in mind that asylum applications must be assessed individually on a case-by-case basis,” the Commission spokesperson stressed.

He added that member states have the right to suspend the examination of asylum applications if there are changes in the country of origin of asylum seekers. He noted, however, that the situation in Syria is fluid and developments are rapid, so it is important to monitor the situation on the ground. He also noted that returns to Syria can take place voluntarily provided that the conditions for “safe, voluntary and dignified returns” are met, according to UNHCR. However, in the absence of a common European list of “safe third countries”, each member state assesses on its own whether a third country is safe or not, Stefan de Kersmacher noted. He added that the Commission remains in contact with member states and is monitoring the situation.

Several EU countries, including Greece, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria have announced that they are suspending the processing of asylum applications from people from Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. The French government announced that it is working on a similar solution. Austria, for its part, is going a step further by preparing “a deportation program.”