UNHCR’s observations on Denmark’s proposal for an “emergency break”

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has submitted observations to the Danish government’s proposal for a law to amend the Aliens Act (Possibility to reject asylum seekers at the border in a crisis situation).

The proposed amendments give the minister the opportunity to close the Danish border completely, even for asylum seekers when they come via another EU country. The rejection of asylum seekers may be in breach of both EU rules and international human rights, especially the basic principle that everyone must have access to another country’s territory in order to apply for asylum.

UNHCR’s observations are available here.