23 October 2015

The European Legal Network on Asylum (ELENA) was created in 1985 and now extends across most European states, involving over 500 lawyers and legal counsellors. Their work is strengthened by the legal research, litigation expertise, training and information exchange via national coordinators and the Weekly Legal Update, facilitated by the network. ECRE has published a note celebrating the achievements of ELENA and asylum practitioners in Europe.

The note highlights the numerous advocacy and litigation successes of ELENA and asylum lawyers over the past 30 years, which have contributed to better protection for asylum seekers and refugees across Europe, in line with international and human rights law. The importance of the network was highlighted by ECRE’s founding members at ECRE’s AGC last week, with its first Secretary General Philip Rudge describing it as an important instrument for training and raising awareness amongst legal counsellors on refugee protection and human rights questions. Volker Turk, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection also congratulated ELENA for its achievements and its value for asylum practitioners over the past three decades.

ELENA’s 30th Anniversary Advanced Course on ‘Legal avenues for strengthening international protection in Europe’ will take place in Bologna from 30-31 October.


 


This article appeared in the ECRE Weekly Bulletin of 23 October 2015. You can subscribe to the Weekly Bulletin here.