Poland’s Stance on the Refugee and Migration Crisis in the European Union

Abstract

The increased influx of refugees into Europe in 2015 put a strain on Europe’s common asylum system. The European Union was faced with the challenge of solving this urgent problem, and was forced to take interim measures. In September 2015, the Council took two decisions: the first to relocate 40,000 applicants and the second to relocate 120,000 applicants to Member States. The relocation decisions were based on the principles of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility as expressed in Article 80 of the TFEU. Member States retain the right to refuse to relocate an applicant only where there are reasonable grounds for regarding him or her as a danger to their national security or public order. However, states cannot, on the basis of security considerations, arbitrarily decide not to fulfill the obligations arising from the relocation decisions. Poland’s stance on the solutions adopted by the EU has evolved; the changes were dictated by internal as well as external factors.