Germany and Greece have reached what officials describe as an “understanding” that will effectively halt all transfers of asylum-seekers from Germany to Greece under the EU’s Dublin Regulation until at least July 2026. Greek government sources confirmed the arrangement on 9 December after weeks of quiet diplomacy.
Under Dublin rules, Germany can ask Greece to take back migrants who first entered the EU through Greek territory. In practice, transfers have already been limited due to Greek reception-capacity issues and multiple rulings by German administrative courts. The new bilateral accord formalises that de-facto freeze, giving both countries breathing space to clear a backlog of several thousand pending cases.
![Berlin and Athens strike deal to suspend Dublin returns to Greece until mid-2026]()
For Germany the pause eliminates costly legal battles over individual transfers and frees Federal Police capacity for deportations to other destinations. For Greece it removes political pressure ahead of next year’s tourist season and gives Athens more time to upgrade reception centres with EU funding.
The deal is politically sensitive: German opposition parties accuse Chancellor Friedrich Merz of sending the wrong signal to people smugglers, while the Greek opposition says Athens conceded too much without securing additional relocation pledges. Mobility managers see a silver lining: affected employees or family members awaiting a Dublin decision may now pursue in-country residence options rather than face removal to Greece.
Both capitals emphasise that the arrangement is temporary and will be reviewed in the first half of 2026, in line with the timeline for the new EU asylum package.
Under Dublin rules, Germany can ask Greece to take back migrants who first entered the EU through Greek territory. In practice, transfers have already been limited due to Greek reception-capacity issues and multiple rulings by German administrative courts. The new bilateral accord formalises that de-facto freeze, giving both countries breathing space to clear a backlog of several thousand pending cases.
For Germany the pause eliminates costly legal battles over individual transfers and frees Federal Police capacity for deportations to other destinations. For Greece it removes political pressure ahead of next year’s tourist season and gives Athens more time to upgrade reception centres with EU funding.
The deal is politically sensitive: German opposition parties accuse Chancellor Friedrich Merz of sending the wrong signal to people smugglers, while the Greek opposition says Athens conceded too much without securing additional relocation pledges. Mobility managers see a silver lining: affected employees or family members awaiting a Dublin decision may now pursue in-country residence options rather than face removal to Greece.
Both capitals emphasise that the arrangement is temporary and will be reviewed in the first half of 2026, in line with the timeline for the new EU asylum package.
