What lies ahead for refugee policy? Resettlement in Germany, the European Union and worldwide (August 2017 – June 2018)

Currently, less than 1 percent of the more than 17 million cross-border refugees worldwide are resettled every year, whereby they attain permanent protection by a third country. In Germany, a permanent resettlement programme has been in place since 2011, offering a safe route to Germany for several hundred people every year. In order to establish a common European policy, the European Commission submitted a proposal for an EU resettlement framework in July 2016. And in 2018, Germany will co-chair the international Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement. In addition, the UN General Assembly is slated to adopt the Global Compact on Refugees.

In view of these developments and the increasingly important role of Germany in the debates on the further development of the European and international refugee protection system, the SVR Research Unit was examining the recent developments and most important challenges of the current resettlement policy at the German, European and international levels. In consideration of document analyses and background interviews, the Research Unit has developed policy options and recommendations for action that are directed primarily at decision-makers in politics and administration but also at civil society actors.

The project was funded by Stiftung Mercator. The results were published in June 2018 in the form of a policy brief.

Publication

Policy Brief