Asylum is a form of protection granted to individuals, usually fleeing war torn states and in fear of persecution, mainly, due to their political or religious beliefs or nationality. Asylum is usually granted by individual states on the basis of international refugee treaties. The aim of a Common European Asylum System is to create a level playing field, where any person seeking protection will be treated in the same way, according to the same standards and wherever they apply for asylum, by EU Member states.
On 17 February 2006, the European Commission adopted a Communication on the strengthening of cooperation in the field of asylum. The Commission reiterated its stand that member states should work closer together to come up with common positions to set up a fully fledged European Asylum system. Vice President Frattini stated that “181,770 people sought asylum in EU territory in 2006. We need a fair and effective system to deal with these people. The Common European Asylum System must offer more protection to those who genuinely need it, and at the same time prevent “asylum shopping” by showing solidarity and offering the same protection across the EU. We must promote the integration of third-country nationals who have found protection in the EU and approximate their legal status to that of Member States’ nationals. Evaluation shows good results so far. We are now ready to launch the next step, working with stakeholders to design the future system”.
In this context, the European Commission is working on setting up appropriate mechanisms to assist Member States achieve a Single Procedure, to standardise Country of Origin Information and to help overcome several difficulties that arise from different factors such as geographical location. These structures, in the future, should lead to a European Support Office to oversee all forms of cooperation between Member States on the Common European Asylum System.
The Common European Asylum system as defined in the Hague and Tempere programmes are based on two guiding points. The first being to bring national legislation in each member state at par, based on common minimum standards. The second point should be adopted by 2010, continuing to bring national procedures closer together which, in the long term, should enhance the promotion of the European ideal of solidarity.
The upcoming Swedish Presidency has one of Europe’s most liberal asylum policies and intends to keep a comprehensive Common Asylum System high on its agenda when it takes the EU’s helm on 1 July. The Swedish government has outlined its progressive ambitions on immigration, arguing for a “humane refugee policy,” and emphasising that the current trend in Europe to close more borders must be opposed”.
That asylum is a current European problem which needs to be tackled on an EU level has been accepted by all parties. This common system should be a mechanism to give people in real need protection.
Mauro Miceli is Information Executive at the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC)