With Assad out, Europe debates future of Syrian refugees

• EU countries put asylum requests from Syrians on hold
• Germany hosts largest Syrian community in Europe
• UN urges countries not to rush returns

BRUSSELS – Days after rebels seized the Syrian capital after nearly 14 years of civil war, many European countries have put asylum applications from Syrians on hold, while some are considering returning them home.

The United Nations special envoy to Syria has warned European countries should not rush to repatriate the millions of refugees who fled the conflict.

"There are livelihood challenges still. The humanitarian situation is disastrous. The economy has collapsed," the envoy, Geir Pedersen, told a news conference.

Here is what European countries have done and what the law says about asylum and returns.

Which European countries host the most Syrian refugees and what are their positions on asylum?

More than one million Syrians have sought refuge in Europe since the civil war began in 2011, with 70% of them ending up in two countries: Germany hosts 59% of Syrians in Europe and Sweden 11%, according to U.N. estimates.

Austria, Greece, the Netherlands and France host between 2% and 5%, while other countries host less than 2%.

Syrians make up the biggest group of asylum seekers in the European Union, lodging 14,000 or 17% of all applications in September 2024, according to the European Union Agency for Asylum, with some 101,000 cases still pending.

Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland have all paused asylum applications until authorities can assess the security situation in Syria.

Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told his ministry to prepare a programme of "orderly repatriation and deportation to Syria", while in Denmark, which has sought to return Syrians since 2019, the prime minister said she expected Syrians to return now the situation has changed. 

For now, Syrians who have been granted asylum will face no change in their status. EU leaders are due to meet on Dec 19 to discuss asylum and migration as well as the latest developments in Syria.

What does the law state?

There are strict EU and international laws rules for ending refugee status, requiring, for example, that changes in the country of origin must be significant and non-temporary.

Under the 1951 U.N. refugee convention, the ending of refugee status has to meet clear criteria, including a fundamental change of the situation in the country of origin.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stipulates that returns can only take place when the situation has changed in ways that are "fundamental, durable and stable".

The EU's Asylum Procedures Directive allows countries to postpone asylum claims due to "an uncertain situation in the country of origin which is expected to be temporary".

The European Commission said it was closely monitoring the evolving situation in Syria, and asked countries to comply with EU rules and assess applications individually.

What are humanitarian groups saying?

Humanitarian groups have cited concerns over a rush to pause asylum processes, which can leave Syrians in limbo, and expressed doubts over returns, citing the massive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods in Syria.

"Freezing applications was hardly priority for day one," said Catherine Woollard, director of the Brussels-based European Council on Refugees and Exiles, an alliance of European NGOs defending asylum and refugee rights.

"It's too early to be talking about return," she said.

Global aid organisation the International Rescue Committee (IRC) called on EU countries to uphold the right to asylum and continue to process asylum claims, as well as respect the principle of safe and voluntary return.

"It remains to be seen whether the new reality in Syria will allow people to start rebuilding their lives, or whether an even graver crisis lies ahead," Marta Welander, IRC's EU advocacy director said in emailed comments.

The UNHCR has called on countries to ensure Syrians can still seek international protection and be granted the same rights as other asylum-seekers while they wait for decision-making on their applications to resume.

This includes access to housing, food and healthcare, as well as education for minors, and paying particular attention to the needs of vulnerable people to access psychological support.

(Writing by Joanna Gill; Editing by Jonathan Hemming)