Press releases
Date: 08-09-2008 At the ministerial conference on "Building a Europe of Asylum" hosted by the French presidency in Paris Bjarte Vandvik, ECRE Secretary General gave a presentation of ECRE's views on the Common European Asylum System.
 Ministerial Conference Statement Sept 2008.pdf (114.38 KB)
Date: 04-07-2008 The ECRE Secretariat, together with its French Member Agencies France Terre d'Asile and Forum Refugies, calls for action by the French Presidency to create a meaningful Common European Asylum System.
French Presidency - FR FTDA ECRE.pdf (153.66 KB) Date: 19-06-2008
Date: 17-06-2008 ECRE welcomes the "Policy Plan on Asylum, an integrated approach to protection in Europe" released by the European Commission on 17 June 2008. ECRE is broadly in agreement with the analysis made by the European Commission as regards the weaknesses of the current systems across the EU and of the challenges that lie ahead. ECRE also strongly supports the European Commission's renewed commitment to ensure access to protection in the EU. However, ECRE regrets that the Policy Plan fails to mention FRONTEX and the urgent need for its operations to be adapted to guarantee access to the EU for those in need of protection.
ECRE Press release Policy Plan.pdf (32.74 KB)
Date: 27-05-2008 The rules on reception of asylum seekers are due to be reviewed later this year. In view of this, ECRE has published recommendations on how best to support the development of better and more harmonised reception conditions across the European Union. Reception is not only about accommodation and the bare minimum needed for survival. It should also address the social well-being of asylum seekers. Poor material reception conditions coupled with lack of employment opportunities during the asylum procedure can lead to a vicious circle of isolation, discrimination and poor integration prospects.
PR Reception Conditions May 2008.pdf (89.32 KB) Member States' representatives will meet tomorrow to reach an agreement on common rules on the return of persons irregularly staying in Europe. ECRE and Amnesty International have joined voices to urge the European Parliament and Member States not to accept the text provisionally agreed and to work to improve it. The two organizations warned that accepting the proposed directive as it stands will seriously undermine the fundamental rights of the individuals concerned. If this compromise is agreed on this summer, it would have to become law in all Member States by mid-2010. ECRE and Amnesty International have already sent a letter to all the MEPs, urging them not to accept the Returns Directive compromise text. Read online>>
ECRE AI Joint PR on Returns Directive.pdf (96.77 KB) |
