Brussels, 17/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - Implementation by EU member states of rules on international protection for third country nationals is riven by divergences that are far from satisfactory, according to an announcement made by the European Commission on Wednesday 16 June. Interpretations of the so-called “qualification” directive of 2004 differ widely. This directive sets out minimum standards for the identification of those in need of international protection, underlines the European Commission in a follow-up report to the directive. The Commission identified shortcomings in certain provisions, as well as several cases of incomplete and/or incorrect transposition by member states. These shortcomings involve protection standards that are inferior to those established by the directive. They also include disparities between member states with regard to the granting of protection and the kind of protection provided. In 2009, the Commission adopted a proposal for recasting this directive. European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström declared: “The imprecision and ambiguity of the standards set out by the directive can be seen in the significant disparities between national rules. In October 2009, the Commission made an assessment and proposed amendments to the directive, in an effort to reduce the risk of increasing differences of interpretation between member states. I now urge the European Parliament and the Council to adopt these amendments”. The draft amendment to the directive aims to clarify certain legal notions used in the definition of reasons for providing protection, eliminating differences in the level of rights conferred on refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, and to improve effective access to rights already conferred by the directive. This text and other proposals in the Asylum Package are still subject to difficult discussions at the Council. (B.C./transl.fl)