
The European Commission is currently engaging with Polish authorities to evaluate the regulations that suspend the right to apply for asylum, and discussions regarding their implementation will continue, according to Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert. A new regulation concerning this matter took effect in Poland on Thursday.
“The Commission is aware of the recent developments in Poland related to the new law,” Lammert stated, in reference to the Council of Ministers’ regulation halting the right to seek asylum at the border with Belarus.
Previously, the Commission indicated it would review the amendment to the law that governs the protection of foreigners, which allows for the limitation of asylum rights following the completion of the legislative process. On Wednesday, President Andrzej Duda signed this amendment, occurring on the same day the government enacted the regulation on asylum suspension.
Lammert emphasized on Thursday that “the current context is crucial” for Poland. He noted that “hybrid threats” stemming from the use of migration as a tool by Russia, with assistance from Belarus, pose risks to Poland’s sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity, as well as to the European Union as a whole.
Among the extraordinary measures permitted by the Commission’s December 2024 guidance, the suspension of the right to asylum is included to prevent Russia and Belarus from weaponizing migration.
When asked if Poland’s suspension of the right to asylum could be viewed as a proportional response, considering that Frontex data indicated 962 people crossed the EU’s eastern land border in January and February of this year—primarily Ukrainians, Russians, and Sudanese—Lammert responded that the Commission would discuss the implementation of the new law with Poland.
The regulation by the Council of Ministers imposes a 60-day restriction on the right to seek international protection at the border with Belarus, which may be extended for an additional 60 days with the Sejm’s approval.
Despite these restrictions, the Border Guard will still accept asylum applications from unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, and individuals requiring special assistance due to age or health conditions. Additionally, individuals deemed by the Border Guard to be at serious risk of harm in their home country can also submit applications for international protection. (27.09.2025)













Leave a Reply