Brussels, 15/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - Having to confront an increasing number of asylum seekers, France and Germany indicated on Tuesday 14 September, that they wanted to amend European rules on asylum, particularly with regard to preventing asylum seeker candidates submitting groundless requests. At the end of a meeting with his European colleagues in Brussels, Eric Besson, the French minister for immigration indicated that “France is experiencing, like a number of other partners, a real national asylum crisis … this situation is untenable”. In 2009, France (the second main asylum destination in the world) experienced a 19% rise on the numbers of those seeking asylum in 2008. Requests for asylum in Germany increased by 25%. This explains the determination of the two countries to “put an end to the European asylum supermarket”. Besson denounced “those who see a door ajar for illegal immigration”. He said that he was particularly supportive of “simplified procedures for getting rid of requests that were obviously bogus”. On Tuesday, the ministerial conference in Brussels came to an end. This conference focused on the quality and efficiency of asylum policy. At this event, the Belgian Presidency and the European Commission called for a boost to be given to creating a common asylum system by 2012 (EUROPE 10214). Although France and Germany are not against common standards, this should not be done at any price. A joint Franco-German document underlined that “the right of asylum would only be sustainably protected if Union states had the means to dissuade bogus asylum requests being made on them”. The two countries also highlight the fact that new measures supporting asylum seekers should not lead to greater administrative and financial burdens in member states and that it is also pointless to make procedures more complex or extend the length of time examining requests for asylum. The document emphasises that “this will only lead to encouraging bogus requests from people who do not really require protection”. Paris and Berlin are particularly opposed to the setting up of an exemption mechanism to the Dublin regulation, which would temporarily suspend the repatriation of asylum seekers to the first country they came to, in the event of this country confronting a massive and sudden influx of migrants. France and Germany consider that the solution is found not only in the strengthening of the EU's external borders but also in the fight against people smuggling networks and implementation of voluntary intra-European reinstallation programmes for refugees. The Belgian secretary of state for immigration, Melchior Wathelet, announced that although the suspension of the Dublin regulation is the most controversial theme (due to reservations expressed by several countries), they will, nonetheless, “need to make compromises and reach agreements”. (B.C./transl.fl)