MEPs tell EU States: 'improve shabby asylum Directive'

3.49.34pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 27th Sep 2005

The European Parliament has told EU Member states to improve a Directive on assessment of asylum claims, adopting almost 200 amendments with the aim of achieving consistent EU-wide rules with decent asylum-seekers' rights.

Baroness Sarah Ludford, London MEP and European justice spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats said:

"The requirements of unanimity among EU governments, and the scapegoating of refugees, have converged to produce shabby 'lowest common denominator' legislation where each State has effectively exported its worst asylum practices."

"They have failed to respect commitments made in 1999 to establish a common European asylum system based on full respect of the 1951 International Refugee Convention. This new law is full of exceptions and derogations, so there is no level playing-field, and the fundamental rights of people seeking refuge are undermined."

MEPs also reserved the right to take Member States to the European Court of Justice if they do not improve the Directive, given the doubt about the legal soundness of the measure and its observance of human rights and international standards.

Notes:

1. This Asylum Procedures Directive' regulates how decisions on asylum claims are to be made in the EU Member States, and covers rights of legal representation, interpretation and appeals, as well as criteria for interviews, detention and fast-tracking. It is the last bit of the jigsaw of a common European asylum system comprising 5 major pieces of legislation that has been developed in the last 6 years.

2. MEPs objected to provisions intended to deny asylum-seekers assessment of their claims, to transfer them to non-EU countries (concepts of "safe third country", "super safe countries" and "safe country of origin"), to the lack of adequate appeal and detention safeguards, to accelerated procedures and to lack of adequate children's' rights.

3. Once this Directive is adopted MEPs will acquire the right of approval (co-decision), not just consultation, for all future EU asylum proposals, which will also be decided by majority vote in the EU Council of Ministers.