Transcript Policy Plan on Asylum An integrated approach to the protection of refugees across the European Union June 2008

Policy Plan on Asylum
An integrated approach to the
protection of refugees
across the European Union
June 2008
Background (1)

In 1999 the EU Heads of State and Government
meeting in Tampere called for the establishment of
a Common European Asylum System. Since then,
asylum has been considered an issue to be tackled
at EU level.

Many legislative measures were adopted at EU
level between 1999 and 2005, regulating some
aspects of important issues: asylum procedures,
reception conditions for asylum-seekers,
responsibility for examining an asylum application,
qualification to become a refugee, etc.
Background (2)



The European Council requested in the
Hague Programme further development of
the Common European Asylum Policy
(CEAS).
In 2007 the Commission presented a Green
Paper to launch a debate with all relevant
actors about the form the CEAS should take
Input received during this debate contributed
the preparation of the Policy Plan.
Purpose of the Policy Plan

To present all the initiatives the
Commission plans to make in the
coming years (2008-2010),
in order to complete the second phase
of the Common European Asylum
System
Trends identified in the Policy
Plan



Relatively lower number of asylum
applications in the EU
Divergences in the level of protection
granted by the Member States
Increasing use of the subsidiary
protection status instead of the
traditional refugee (Convention) status
Asylum applications in EU
Asylum applications EU 1987-2007
800000
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0
1987
1988
1989
1990 1991
1992
1993 1994
1995
1996
1997 1998
1999
2000 2001
2002
2003
2004 2005
2006
2007
Which are the objectives of the
CEAS? (1)





Ensure access for those in need of
protection:
Provide for a single, common procedure
Establish uniform statuses for asylum and
for subsidiary protection
Incorporate gender considerations and take
into account the special needs of
vulnerable groups
Increase practical cooperation
Which are the objectives of the
CEAS? (2)



Determine responsibility and support
solidarity, within the EU and between the
EU and third countries
Ensure coherence with other policies that
have an impact on international protection
Respect international agreements and in
particular the 1951 Geneva Convention
Which strategy to achieve
these goals?

The Policy Plan proposes a threepronged strategy:
1.
2.
3.
Legislative harmonisation, leading to
better common standards
Promote practical cooperation between
Member State asylum administrations
Enhance solidarity and responsibility
Legislative harmonisation
leading to better standards
Three main existing directives will be amended:



The Reception Conditions Directive, to ensure higher
common standards for receiving asylum-seekers
The Asylum Procedures Directive, in order to set out
clear common procedural rules needed to ensure
proper and (harmonised) application of the
Qualification Directive
The Qualifications Directive, to strengthen the rights
attached to protection statuses and harmonise such
statuses
Practical cooperation



To facilitate practical cooperation, a
European Asylum Support Office will be
created.
It will coordinate activities related to country
of origin information, common trainings,
exchange of best practices, etc.
The office will not have decision-making
powers in individual cases, which will
continue to be a national competence.
Solidarity and responsibility (1)


Within the EU, the rules about the Member
State responsible for examining an asylum
application (Dublin II regulation, EURODAC)
will be amended in order to increase their
efficiency and fairness.
New solidarity mechanisms will be proposed
to help ‘overburdened’ Member States that
have difficulties in coping with large numbers
of asylum-seekers arriving into their territory.
Solidarity and responsibility (2)
From an external point of view, the EU is
committed to support third countries
receiving large refugee flows by:
1.
2.
3.
Expanding Regional Protection
Programmes to other regions;
Establishing an EU-wide voluntary
resettlement scheme;
Enhancing the accessibility of the EU
Conclusion: guiding principles
The guiding principles for the EU’s action in the
area of asylum will be:
1.
2.
3.
4.
To uphold the Union's humanitarian
protection tradition and ensuring respect of
fundamental rights
To establish a level playing field
To enhance the efficiency of the asylum
system
To provide solidarity within and outside the
Union