Ivan Josipovic, Ursula Reeger | Austrian Academy of Sciences (OEAW)
This report deals with the protection of refugees in Austria between 2011 and 2018 by drawing (1) from an analysis of the legal framework and its implementation and (2) by building on extensive field research conducted under the framework of the RESPOND project. It shows that the so-called “refugee crisis” of 2015 represents a crucial turning point in asylum policy. While refugee protection remains intact as a constitutionally secured right, the Austrian government introduced a number of legal restrictions, including procedural hurdles, emergency provisions allowing for restricted access to federal territory and thus the asylum procedure, as well as restrictions for persons who obtain protection status. These reforms occurred at a time when the Common European Asylum System displayed serious deficiencies.
Read More