The Austrian Chancellor has hailed Britain’s Rwanda law as the way to fix the EU’s immigration system, describing the UK as a pioneer, and saying the model was a solution for Austria and a path for the EU.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Austria and the UK are “strategic partners when it comes to making sure that asylum proceedings should happen in safe third countries”.
He also urged the EU to follow Britain’s example saying: “The UK is therefore also a pioneer for this model, a model and a path that will be important for the Europeans as well.”
“The Rwanda model is a solution for us to have asylum proceedings in safe third countries and that is something we need to put on the EU’s agenda as well,” he said. “We support the British path and the British model.”
Before today’s meeting, Mr Nehammer said that moving asylum processing to safe third countries outside Europe was a part of a new system required by Europe.
‘One thing is clear to me: Europe needs a completely new asylum system,’ he posted on X. Today he said that “Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and I agree: asylum procedures should be carried out in safe third countries.
“This approach requires robust protection of Europe‘s external borders alongside the establishment of well-functioning asylum centers in these third countries. Thank you for your strong support.”
Prime Minister @RishiSunak and I agree: asylum procedures should be carried out in safe third countries. This approach requires robust protection of Europe‘s external borders alongside the establishement of well-functioning asylum centers in these third countries. Thank you for… pic.twitter.com/9RBLnrT6Lv
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) May 21, 2024
At the meeting, British PM Rishi Sunak said illegal migration was “one of the defining issues of our time” and insisted that a “business as usual” approach would not solve the crisis.
Ahead of the visit he had said: ‘We are leading the charge with partners across the continent to meet the challenges caused by intolerable levels of illegal migration.
‘Just last week fifteen EU countries called for new solutions to address this growing issue. Our disruption of the cruel trade of criminal gangs, together with our Rwanda scheme, are part of a deterrent to stop illegal migration once and for all.’
'In our joint statement today we've committed to deepening our cooperation to end this vile trade.'
Meeting today with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Vienna, Rishi Sunak says the UK and Austria are committing further to stopping people smuggling. pic.twitter.com/plriSZTg9q
— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 21, 2024
Both leaders said that they were committed to deepening their cooperation in tackling people smuggling – described as a “vile trade” in today’s press briefing – whereby thousands of migrants pay to be illegally transported to the EU and Britain.