Genshagen – ESI discusses the future of migration at Schloss Genshagen

21 February 2024
Schloss Genshagen
Schloss Genshagen. Photo: Anshu/Flickr

ESI’s Gerald Knaus was invited by the civil society organization Genshagener Kreis to give a presentation during the conference ‘Berlin der Begegnung’ – ‘A Berlin of Encounters.’ The conference was held at Schloss Genshagen, south of Berlin, as part of a civil society training program for young leaders.

Within the conference’s theme of ‘The Future’, Gerald discussed with participants the future of migration in Europe. He noted that the current status-quo around migration is unsustainable, with the lack of a comprehensive plan leading to a fear-based campaign against migration organized by the far-right and to the systematic denial of refugees’ human rights through pushbacks and other abuses.

Instead, Gerald sketched a future in which countries would cooperate to manage migration in a safe, legal, and systematic manner. This system would provide credible options for legal mobility and establish fair asylum procedures in safe third countries. Implementing these policies, however, would require a paradigm shift in EU migration policy.

If successful, however, the effect would be to reduce deaths in the Mediterranean, undermine smugglers’ business models, lower the number of irregular arrivals and increase the amount of legal migration into Europe. This would undercut the far-right’s claims of uncontrolled migration, ensure those in need of protection receive it and that those arriving in Europe are able and prepared to work good jobs which contribute to society.