The emergence of European refugee policy

Rarely have the positions of European Member States been so far apart as they are on the current refugee issue. With the number of asylum applications rising sharply, especially since 2013, the European Union is facing one of its greatest challenges. How can the decisions that have been made at European level in the areas of migration and asylum policy and border protection be explained? Why is it so difficult to agree on a solution based on solidarity - and thus in line with the principles of the EU? This paper aims to understand the decision-making processes from the formation of national preferences to decision-making in the EU Council of Ministers in order to answer these questions. The empirical analysis is based on the societal approach at the national level and attempts to identify the key factors influencing European asylum and refugee policy at the European level using regime theory. In addition to different perceptions of solidarity, national asylum policies and the degree of institutionalisation of European policy areas also appear to be of central importance.