The European Court of Justice issued a ruling today, Thursday, stating that a refugee can be deprived of protection in the European Union if convicted of a serious crime and deemed a separate danger to society. This ruling responds to inquiries from courts in Belgium, Austria, and the Netherlands regarding appeals against state decisions to withdraw or refuse protection based on the right of asylum for foreigners convicted of such crimes.
The court mentioned in a statement: "The existence of a danger to society cannot be established solely by the fact that someone has been convicted by a final judgment of committing a serious crime." The court, based in Luxembourg, emphasized that both conditions must be met simultaneously to legally justify the cancellation of asylum status. It clarified for the member states' courts that if this is the case, EU member states may revoke such protection, but they are not obligated to do so.
The issue of immigration is a sensitive matter in the EU, which needs foreigners to alleviate labor market deficits. However, there are ongoing disputes among member states regarding the sharing of the burden and responsibility for assisting irregular entrants, as they seek asylum in EU countries to escape conflicts and poverty in regions such as the Middle East and Africa.
