Currently, ten of the twenty-seven Member States take up more than 90% of all asylum-seekers in the EU. Moreover, the Dublin system puts particular pressure on some Member States and is being undermined by recent case law. Therefore, it is time to discuss alternatives for the European asylum system which lead to common responsibilities and fairer burden-sharing.  One such alternative is the European Distribution Key (EDK) for asylum-seekers. 

It is based on criteria such as GDP and population and calculates a quota for each Member State. It is inspired by the German Königsteiner-Schlüssel which allocates asylum-seekers amongst the sixteen Länder.

The seminar brings together MEPs, European Commission, government representatives, academia and NGOs to discuss the potential benefits and shortcomings of a European Distribution Key.