European Commission urges Poland not to alter asylum law

Poland wants to make the admission of foreign workers from non-EU countries dependent on an employment contract, in an effort to protect the labor market and combat illegal work. This also includes fully digitizing work permits and increasing fines for illegal employment.

The Polish government says this is necessary to better control the influx of migrants, especially given the tensions at the border with Belarus. That country allegedly deliberately sends migrants and asylum seekers to the border to apply pressure on the European Union, a strategy Poland labels as a "hybrid war." According to Warsaw, this poses a security risk.

Currently, relatively flexible rules apply for foreign seasonal workers in Poland, allowing many to work on flexible contracts. However, these do not offer the same rights and protections as full employment contracts. In addition to stricter admission requirements for migrants, fines for employers who allow immigrants to work illegally must also be increased.

Brussels states that Poland may not interpret EU rules for foreign seasonal workers in such a way that it amounts to the ability to reject asylum applications. Despite the EU warnings, Prime Minister Tusk has reiterated that Poland wants to tighten its border policy to prevent the migrant flow from being exploited by regimes such as that of President Lukashenko of Belarus.

The current confrontation between Poland and the European Commission continues a broader debate within the EU about balancing national sovereignty and European regulations. At the upcoming EU summit of heads of government, efforts will be made to reach new agreements on this matter.

Poland is not alone in its criticism of European migration policy; other countries, such as Hungary, are increasingly trying to go their own way. As more EU countries admit fewer migrants and asylum seekers, other member states have to take in more. This has led to growing anti-migrant protests in several EU countries.