After government dispute: Traffic light parties agree on payment card for refugees

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In the future, refugees should be able to use the payment card in addition to cash and benefits in kind

Photo: Philipp von Ditfurth / dpa

There is an agreement in the federal government on a federal regulation for a payment card for asylum seekers.

The government's internal departmental vote on a change to the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act has been initiated.

The payment card is mentioned as an option in the future, it said, citing information from government circles at table.media - in addition to cash benefits or benefits in kind as other options.

Payment cards should be an equally important option

To date, the law has stipulated that the needs of asylum seekers outside of reception centers are to be met primarily through cash benefits.

In the future, benefits in kind or payment cards should be equally important options.

According to the report, the payment cards should be issued to all affected adults.

The federal states should regulate independently whether cash can be withdrawn from the card and, if so, how much.

The Greens recently said that federal regulations for payment cards were unnecessary.

The Greens pointed out that the introduction of the card has already begun in Hamburg and is imminent in Bavaria.

The SPD and FDP are in favor of federal regulation.

And various politicians from the federal states also pointed out the risk of lawsuits against the card if there is no regulation at the federal level.

Another point of contention was the question of how to deal with asylum seekers who receive benefits equal to the citizen's allowance after 18 or, in the future, 36 months of stay.

This should now be clarified in the parliamentary process, as should the treatment of employees and students or trainees.

On November 6th, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the state prime ministers agreed to introduce a payment card instead of cash payments.

The decision paper said at the time: "If legal adjustments are necessary in view of the specific design of the payment card, the federal government will initiate these as soon as possible." The card is intended, among other things, to prevent migrants from giving money to smugglers or family and friends Transfer abroad.

The Federal Ministry of Economics, led by the Greens, now said: “The payment card makes sense to prevent money from being transferred abroad.

Accordingly, the formulation aid for the introduction of a nationwide uniform legal basis for payment cards is approved.

muk/AFP/dpa