The European Legal Network on Asylum (ELENA) is a forum of legal practitioners promoting the highest human rights standards for the treatment of refugees, asylum seekers and other persons in need of international protection in their daily individual counselling and advocacy work.
The ELENA network established in 1985 now extends across 38 European states and involves some 500 lawyers and legal counsellors. It is coordinated by the secretariat of the ECRE secretariat in Brussels in close consultation with the ELENA national coordinators (i.e. legal practitioners, legal academics and legal officers in ECRE member organisations).
Objectives
- Provide and reinforce contact between legal practitioners in different European countries to promote co-operation on individual cases and practice;
- Study the implementation of national, European and international law relating to refugees;
- Organise seminars on specific topics relating to refugee law and make the results available to practising lawyers;
- Promote the development of national networks of legal practitioners specialising in asylum law.
For more information please see the leaflet.
If you are in need of legal assistance, please contact one of the members of the ELENA Network of Legal Practitioners. We advise you to contact the people who are based in the country where you are located.
- ECRE Legal Note 17: The Cessation of International Protection and Review of Protection Statuses in Europe, April 2025
- ECRE Legal Note 16: The Guarantees of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in Respect of Legal Counselling, Assistance and Representation in Asylum Procedures, June 2024
- ECRE Legal Note 14: The Right to Suitable Accommodation Under the Temporary Protection Directive, April 2023
- ECRE-ELENA Legal Note 10: Across Borders: The Impact of N.D. and N.T. in Europe, July 2021
- ECRE-ELENA Legal Note 4: Ageing Out and Family Reunification, June 2018
- ECRE-ELENA Case Law Note on the application of the Dublin Regulation to family reunion cases, February 2018
- ECRE-ELENA Legal Note 2: Access to Legal Aid in Europe, November 2017
- ECRE-ELENA Information Note on Dublin transfers post-Tarakhel: Update on European case law and practice, October 2015
- Celebrating 30 years of the ELENA Network: 1985-2015, October 2015
- ECRE-ELENA Information Note on Syrian Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Europe, November 2013
- UNHCR-IARLJ-ELENA Summary Report: Informal Meeting of Experts on Refugee Claims relating to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, April 2012
- ECRE-ELENA Research on ECHR Rule 39 Interim Measures, April 2012
ECRE has been running specialist and introductory refugee law courses for more than 25 years. The topics covered in the courses are selected by the ELENA national coordinators based on the needs that are identified by practitioners. The courses are aimed at legal counsellors and lawyers from across Europe who defend or who are interested in defending cases concerning refugees and people seeking asylum.
ELENA courses have benefited from the generous co-operation of leading academics and practitioners, including Prof. Hathaway, Prof. Goodwin-Gill, Prof. Elspeth Guild and Nuala Mole.
For more information regarding ELENA courses, please contact Julia Zelvenska.