28-09-2011
ECRE has analysed and commented on the most important changes that the Commission proposes to its 2008 Commission proposal to review the Reception Conditions Directive.
ECRE is concerned about the dilution of the standards set out in the 2008 Commission proposal. In particular, the current proposal does no longer prohibit the detention of unaccompanied children and Member States would be allowed to refuse access to the labour market for asylum seekers beyond 6 months after making an application for international protection.
ECRE fears that most standards proposed in the amended Commission recast proposal provide little added value to the existing standards in the Reception Conditions Directive. In line with the approach taken in the amended proposal recasting the Asylum Procedures Directive (APD), the initial ambition to aim for high standards of reception conditions while ensuring a sufficiently high level of harmonisation has been seriously lowered.
At the same time ECRE acknowledges that certain safeguards, in particular with regard to the grounds for detention of asylum seekers and the accommodation of unaccompanied children have been strengthened compared to the 2008 Commission recast proposal.
*The picture that illustrates this article was taken on 18 November 2009, when several refugee-assisting NGOs set a camp in Brussels to urge the authorities to find a solution for the asylum seekers forced to live in the streets due to a lack of housing.
ECRE has analysed and commented on the most important changes that the Commission proposes to its 2008 Commission proposal to review the Reception Conditions Directive .
ECRE is concerned about the dilution of the standards set out in the 2008 Commission proposal. In particular, the current proposal does no longer prohibit the detention of unaccompanied children and Member States would be allowed to refuse access to the labour market for asylum seekers beyond 6 months after making an application for international protection,
ECRE fears that most standards proposed in the amended Commission recast proposal provide little added value to the existing standards in the Reception Conditions Directive (WITH HYPERLINK TO CURRENT DIRECTIVE).In line with the approach taken in the amended proposal recasting the Asylum Procedures Directive (APD), the initial ambition to aim for high standards of reception conditions while ensuring a sufficiently high level of harmonisation has been seriously lowered.
At the same time ECRE acknowledges that certain safeguards, in particular with regard to the grounds for detention of asylum seekers and the accommodation of unaccompanied children have been strengthened compared to the 2008 Commission recast proposal.