So far, Italy and Greece have set up only a few hot spot registration centres for asylum seekers entering those countries. Finland is ready to immediately take in the first group of refugees it has pledge to accept under an EU relocation scheme, but the registration centres are not yet functioning well enough to make their move possible.
"Internal transfers cannot be made without hot spot administrative action, that is, registering arrivals at the EU's external borders. People could then be transferred in an organized fashion to other countries if needed," Prime Minister Sipiliä told the media, following a briefing to members of Parliament's Grand Committee.
Pushing for tighter border control
The Finnish position is that member states should implement closer border guard cooperation and is advocating a stronger role for the joint EU border control agency Frontex at the European Union’s external borders.
The aim would be to detain people without travel documents in order to get them into the official immigration system.
The opposition Social Democrats do not see this as being enough.
"The causes of the crisis have to be dealt with, third countries helped, development assistance given. The government's decision to cut development cooperation funding is the worst possible fit for dealing with this situation," countered MP Tytti Tuppurainen, a Social Democratic member of Parliament's Grand Committee.
Safe or not safe
EU member states seem to be unable to agree on a common list of safe countries. The main problem revolves around Turkey which most, but not all, members deem a safe country.
"Probably a list will not be created because, for example, Sweden disagrees about Turkey," stated Prime Minister Sipilä.
Germany also opposes classing Turkey as safe, and the lists of safe countries vary among EU members.
Finland decided in late September to impose a freeze on asylum applications filed by Iraqis and Somalis until a review determines if some parts of Iraq and Somalia can be considered safe. Before the start of the review both were listed as being unsafe.
When the review was announced, it was indicated that a decision would be forthcoming within two weeks, but none has yet been made. Sipilä told the press that the freeze on affected applications will stay in place until the policy review is completed.
